JD-U leader's praise for Jinnah irks BJP

Patna, Nov 12 (IANS) The "Jinn of Jinnah" made an appearance in the politics of Bihar on Friday when a Janata Dal-United (JD-U) MLC Khalid Anwar termed the founder of Pakistan, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, as "a great freedom fighter of the country".

Following his statement, the JD-U's alliance partner in Bihar, the BJP reacted sharply to the remarks.

Samrat Chaudhary, the Panchayati Raj Minister under the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) quota in the Nitish Kumar-led government said: "Those who are followers of Jinnah should go to Pakistan and do his 'puja' there."

Anwar, while targeting the Congress party, said that the first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru was responsible for the division of the country.

"He (Nehru) was instrumental in divisive politics leading to division of the country and obtaining the post of prime minister. The Congress regime, its home minister had used saffron terrorism in the parliament of the country. Due to his divisive ideology, our country was divided," Anwar said.

Following Anwar's statement, Samrat Chaudhary said: "Our countrymen worship Mahatma Gandhi and not Jinnah. If anyone has sympathy with him or they want to follow the ideology of Jinnah, they have places in Pakistan. They should go to Pakistan, stay there and follow the ideology of Jinnah," Chaudhary said.