Akhilesh Yadav says Jinnah was 'a hero of India`s freedom movement', faces BJP backlash

Lucknow: Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav has stirred a major political controversy by glorifying Muhammad Ali Jinnah at a party rally in Hardoi. 

"Sardar Patel, Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Jinnah, they all came out of the same institution. They all studied at the same institute, they became barristers and gave freedom," the SP leader had said at the rally on Sunday.

#WATCH | Sardar Patel, Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and (Muhammad Ali) Jinnah studied in the same institute. They became barristers and fought for India's freedom... It was Iron Man Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel who imposed a ban on an ideology (RSS): SP chief Akhilesh Yadav pic.twitter.com/Pz3HkSrqn8 — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) October 31, 2021

Remembering Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his birth anniversary, Akhilesh Yadav said, "Sardar Patel used to know the land, Sardar Patel took decisions holding the land, he used to understand the land so he made his decisions and that is why he is known as the Iron man Of India."

आज सरदार वल्लभभाई पटेल जी की जयंती के अवसर पर। pic.twitter.com/1zRd1JQcSo — Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) October 31, 2021

Akhilesh Yadav also trained guns at the Congress, saying there is no difference between the grand old party and the BJP. "Investigation of ED and CBI that is going on against us and other leaders is because of Congress only. There is no difference between them (BJP and Congress). Congress is BJP and BJP is Congress," Akhliesh was quoted as saying by ANI.

The BJP, however, has slammed the SP President for saying that Jinnah was a ''hero of India`s freedom movement.'' BJP spokesperson Rakesh Tripathi said, "Mulayam Singh will also hold his head high after hearing this from Akhilesh Yadav, who has studied in Australia. The country considers Muhammad Ali Jinnah as the villain of the partition. Calling Jinnah the hero of freedom is the politics of Muslim appeasement."

UP's Minister of State for Minority Welfare Mohsin Raza said, "By saying that the ideology of the divisive Jinnah is the ideology of Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Patel, Jawaharlal Nehru, Akhilesh ji has insulted the great men of the country."

विभाजनकारी जिन्ना की विचारधारा राष्ट्रपिता महात्मा गाँधी जी,सरदार पटेल, जवाहर लाल नेहरू की विचारधारा है कह कर अखिलेश जी ने देश के महापुरुषों का अपमान किया है 1/2 — Mohsin Raza (@Mohsinrazabjpup) October 31, 2021

तथा समय रहते देश को यह समझ लेना चाहिये कि "जिन्ना वाली आज़ादी" की माँग करने वाले हमारे देश मे कौन- कौन जिन्नावादी हैं जिन्हे जिन्ना के रिश्तेदारों से वोटों की आस है। 2/2 — Mohsin Raza (@Mohsinrazabjpup) October 31, 2021

BJP MP Brijlal also accused Akhilesh Yadav of indulging in Muslim appeasement and putting vote bank politics above national sentiments. So far, Akhilesh Yadav has focused his campaign on the poor governance of the BJP government and the plight of farmers, youth and women.

He has consciously steered clear of indulging in Muslim appeasement but his remarks on Jinnah have now put him in the dock.