BJP Chief Compares Bengal Poll Violence To Pre-Partition Killings

BJP president JP Nadda on Monday claimed the Congress compromised on big goals for small gains causing India's division as he alleged that the opposition's politics is even now marked by similar "appeasement".

He also compared the recent poll violence in West Bengal to the pre-Partition killings on MA Jinnah's call in 1946.

Speaking at an event to mark the Partition Horrors Remembrance Day, Mr Nadda hit out at Rahul Gandhi, alleging that the Congress leader had gone to the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) to stand with those accused of raising slogans against India's integrity and in support of Afzal Guru, who was hanged for his role in the 2001 Parliament terror attack.

"Rahul Gandhi says (Indian Union) Muslim League is totally a secular party. Should the country's reins be given to him," he said, adding that the Congress leader considers it a secular party even though its name is Muslim League.

On the large-scale migration, killings and rapes during the partition as millions of families were uprooted, he said people should be reminded of the wounds which marked India's independence as the country's both hands were chopped off.

The BJP president accused the Congress, which had spearheaded India's freedom movement, of repeatedly compromising with the MA Jinnah-led All India Muslim League since the latter's foundation in 1906 and keeping quiet during the alleged massacre of Hindus in Kerala's Moplah in 1921.

It kept compromising which finally led to the country's division, he alleged.

Noting that over 56 people were killed in West Bengal during the recent panchayat polls and over 60 after the 2021 assembly elections, JP Nadda said all the members of "ghamandia" alliance, a reference to the INDIA bloc of opposition parties, remain silent.

He compared the violence with the killings of people following the All India Muslim League's call for direct action in 1946.

Those who follow the politics of appeasement have the same genes and thought process, he said. "They look at votes never at the country whether the nation be sold or fall into crisis," JP Nadda alleged.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has hit out at this mindset with his call for corruption, appeasement and dynastic rule to quit India, he said, adding that the country has moved along the path of development on his watch.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)