Jinnah part of Congress family, says Shatrughan Sinha

Actor-turned politician Shatrughan Sinha courted a controversy after calling Jinnah a part of the Congress family, while addressing a rally in Madhya Pradesh to campaign for Chief Minister Kamal Nath's son Nakul Nath, who is contesting from the Chhindwara Lok Sabha parliamentary constituency against BJP's Nathan Shah.

Madhya Pradesh: Shatrughan Sinha, who had recently parted ways with the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) and joined Congress, sparked a controversy after calling Jinnah a part of the Congress family.

Extolling Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan, along with the founders of the Indian state- Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Patel and Jawaharlal Nehru, the actor-turned politician on Friday said they all had an important role to play in the country's independence.

"The Congress family consisting of leaders such as Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Patel, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, Rajiv Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. has contributed the most, when it comes to the country's development, prosperity and independence. This is the reason that I am here (in Congress)," said Sinha while addressing a rally in Madhya Pradesh (MP).

Sinha was in MP to campaign for Chief Minister Kamal Nath's son Nakul Nath, who is contesting from the Chhindwara Lok Sabha parliamentary constituency against BJP's Nathan Shah.

During the rally, Sinha also spoke about Congress' flagship Nyuntam Aay Yojana or NYAY scheme, under which the Congress party has promised to provide the poorest of the poor with an amount of Rs. 72,000 annually.

"The Congress government has waived the loan of farmers in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh. People are curious about NYAY scheme now," Sinha said.

Sinha, who had been criticising the Modi government since he was denied a ticket from Patna Sahib constituency in Bihar, further said, "It is fine when they (BJP) do something. If our leaders come up with some ideas, they are not able to digest these."

While leaving BJP, Sinha had said it was "painful" for him to leave the BJP with which he has had such a long association, but was disturbed at the treatment meted out by the party to its stalwarts such as L K Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Arun Shourie and Yashwant Sinha.