Sardar Patel was ready to give Kashmir to Pakistan: Sibal

New Delhi: Senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal on Monday stoked controversy saying Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was ready to give Kashmir to Pakistan.

"Sardar Patel sahab was Home Minister then. He brought article 370. At that time it was discussed that Sardar Patel was ready to give Kashmir to Pakistan," Sibal said in the Rajya Sabha while speaking on the government's proposed move to repeal Article 370.

This promoted the Chair to intervene advising him to move on and avoid references that could trigger controversy.

Members from the treasury benches objected to Sibal's remarks.

BJP leader Bhupendra Yadav expressed reservation over this and stated that Sibal's views cannot be the view of the House.

While continuing his speech, Sibal said that there were many provisions in the bill scrapping Art. 370 which are against the law. He asked the government why various stakeholders were not consulted before bringing the bill to revoke Article 370 and bifurcate Jammu and Kashmir into two Union territories (UTs).