SP demands BJP to question Advani for visiting Jinnah's tomb in Pak

Ballia (UP): Amid BJP's sharp attack on Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav over his Jinnah remark, senior SP leader Narad Rai said the saffron party should ask its founding member L K Advani why he had gone to offer 'chadar' at Jinnah's tomb in Pakistan.

Talking to reporters on Sunday, Rai asked Uttar Pradesh Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anand Swaroop Shukla, who had made serious allegations against Yadav over the issue, that he should first read the history of his party.

Remembering Muhammad Ali Jinnah's contribution to the freedom movement, BJP leader L K Advani had offered 'chadar' at his tomb and paid tribute to him, Rai said, adding that the SP chief had similarly remembered this contribution.

He was apparently referring to Advani's trip to Pakistan in 2005 during which the BJP leader praised the neighbouring country's founder, triggering criticism from within his own party.

Yadav had kicked up a row recently when he equated Jinnah with Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and Jawaharlal Nehru and said they helped India get freedom, even as Shukla suggested a narco test for him for "glorifying" the Pakistani leader.

"Sardar Patel, Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and (Muhammad Ali) Jinnah studied in the same institute and became barristers. They helped (India) get freedom and never backed away from any struggle," he had said on October 31.

The UP minister had also accused the Samajwadi Party president of enjoying the patronage of the Pakistan spy agency, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and said he may even go for religious conversion to appease Muslims.

The SP leader recalled that a complaint had been filed with the police over Shukla's remarks against Yadav.

"Shukla made indecent remarks against Akhilesh Yadav and a case of sedition should be registered against the minister," he added.