A Madhya Pradesh BJP functionary was suspended from the primary membership of the party for a Facebook post terming Mahatma Gandhi “Pakistan’s father of the nation”.
State BJP chief Rakesh Singh has suspended the primary membership of Anil Saumitra, who was the party’s media department’s State convener, with immediate effect, informed BJP State media in-charge Lokendra Parashar in a press release.
In a Facebook post on May 16 night, Mr. Saumitra claimed, “He (Gandhi) was the father of the nation, but of Pakistan, there were millions of sons like him in India some worthy and some worthless.”
Mr. Parashar said action was taken as Mr. Saumitra had breached party discipline, adding that the latter was given seven days to clarify.
After action on him by the BJP, Mr. Saumitra on May 17 claimed, “The concept of Pakistan was prepared by Britishers and its promulgators were Nehru (first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru) and Jinnah (Mohammed Ali Jinnah), who were in a hurry to become Prime Ministers. This process was blessed by Mahatma Gandhi.”
“Since Pakistan was carved out due to the silent blessings of Mahatma Gandhi, so he could be Rashtrapita of Pakistan,” he added.
“India was a nation since sanatan period, several saints and sages were its sons. So, this nation could have sons and not a father. Father of nation is an European concept, Gandhi could be a good son but, in known history, there is no father of nation in India,” Mr. Saumitra claimed.
