Giriraj Singh, Union Minister and BJP MP from Begusarai, has made yet another controversial statement . The BJP allies — the Janata Dal (United) and the Lok Janshakti Party — have urged him not to make such comments.
“Our forefathers committed a mistake. Had they ensured that all our Muslim brothers were sent to Pakistan during Partition in 1947 and the Hindus were brought here [from Pakistan], the need for the Citizenship (Amendment) Act would not have arisen. But this did not happen, and we paid a heavy price for it. When our forefathers were fighting for independence, Jinnah was pushing for the creation of an Islamic state,” Mr. Giriraj Singh told journalists in Purnea on Thursday. He is touring the Muslim-dominated areas in northeast Bihar to canvass support for the CAA.
He reached Forbesganj and Madhubani on Friday. Sharing a video of the controversial comments of Akbaruddin Owaisi and Waris Pathan, of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen, Mr. Singh asked the Congress, the RJD and the “Tukde-Tukde gang” whether or not they wanted to make India a Pakistan.
Recently, Mr. Singh called Deoband, an Islamic seminary in Uttar Pradesh, a “fountain-head of terrorism, which produces terrorists like Hafiz Saeed”. He had also said, “Shaheen Bagh is conspiring against the nation, and suicide bombers are being trained there.”
“Mr. Giriraj Singh should learn a lesson from the Delhi Assembly election and desist from making such statements hurting others…I’ll never support any statement that divides society,” LJP leader Chirag Paswan told journalists in Patna before starting on his ‘Bihar First, Bihari First’ yatra.
JD(U) spokesperson Arvind Nishad said, “It seems Mr. Giriraj Singh has been ignoring directives from BJP president J.P. Nadda who had asked him to desist from controversial statements and comments.”
Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) leader Jitan Ram Manjhi asked Chief Minister Nitish Kumar whether or not he agreed with Mr. Giriraj Singh’s comments.
CPI leader Kanhaiya Kumar said, “Mr. Giriraj Singh should start a travel agency to send people to Pakistan”.
