Minister: BJP voters patriots, rest Pakistanis'
Sarang exhorted the people who supported the party to raise their hands.
Bhopal: A minister in the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government on Friday described the pro-BJP electorates as “patriots” and called those who are unwilling to vote for the saffron outfit as “Pakistanis”.
Minister for cooperation Viswas Sarang’s controversial statement at an official function at Patelbad in Jhabua district triggered outrage with Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Ajey Singh saying, “It is too low of taste to warrant a comment”.
Addressing a convention of beneficiaries of government programmes, Mr Viswas said, “Jo Hindustan se pyar karega, woh BJP se pyar karega. Jo Hindustan se pyar karega, woh BJP ko vote dega (One who loves India, will love BJP. One, who loves India, will vote for BJP)”. Later Mr Sarang exhorted the people who supported the party to raise their hands.
“Are those sitting beside you are Pakistanis?” he questioned while gesticulating at those who did not raise their hands. “I firmly stand by my statement. History supports my remarks. I reiterate that those who love nation, love BJP and those who love nation, will vote for the BJP. The BJP has helped in strengthening unity and integrity of India. Congress has hardly ever helped in strengthening unity and integrity of the country. The Congress has questioned surgical strike against Pakistan”, he told reporters here.
“The Kashmir issue is still alive today because Jawaharlal Nehru chose to take the matter to UNO”, he added. “I challenge Viswas to recall one leader of RSS, Jansangh and BJP who fought for freedom of country,” the CLP leader said, expressing his dismay over the minister’s comment.