Two days after BJP's prime ministerial candidate candidate Narendra Modi blamed the Congress for Partition, changing geography and twisting history, Samajwadi Party (SP) president Mulayam Singh Yadav, too, blamed Congress for the Partition.
Mulayam was addressing party workers at SP office in Lucknow on Tuesday.
Modi had targeted the Congress on the same issue after inaugurating a hospital in Gujarat on Sunday. "Who is responsible for the Partition of the country? Had Congress accepted Jinnah's demand for nominating a Muslim minister from his quota in the government in 1937, the country would not have witnessed Partition," Mulayam said.
"There were five Muslim ministers but Jinnah's candidate was not included. He felt that when Congress is ditching him now, there will be no scope later in the Hindu dominated country. He thus raised the demand for Pakistan," Mulayam said.
"If India had not witnessed Partition, it would have been the most powerful country in the world. People would have been living in harmony," he added.
Mulayam, while exhorting his party workers to take the coming Lok Sabha polls seriously, said: "We are in a better position. There is no challenge from Modi who is present only in Gujarat. Congress is weak in Gujarat and is not able to face Modi in the state, leave aside the whole country." Mulayam also stated that only SP can challenge Modi. "Modi is nowhere, we have 80 seats in UP and can win double the seats in Gujarat," he said.
Mulayam also clarified the stand of SP on several issues while offering tips to party workers.
"We had opposed reservation in promotion as the result would have been catastrophic. Only one community would have bagged all important posts. When we could not prevent it by numbers, we snatched the bill and tore it. You all must have seen it on TV. Publicise this in your area," he said.
Mulayam also explained he is not against women's reservation bill but it should be made mandatory for political parties. "If my constituency is reserved for women, my political career would be finished. Congress president is a woman and she can contest from any seat," he said.
Mulayam also said that he, along with Janata Dal (united) president Sharad Yadav, had met PM Manmohan Singh over a bill, which will be introduced in the coming session of Parliament. "We had reservations over some portions and the PM has assured us to reconsider," he said. It is believed Mulayam had taken up the communal violence bill before the PM.
Mulayam also focussed on Muslims who were also present during the informal meeting at party office. "I had not saved the (Babri) mosque in 1990, but had saved the country. I had asked Akhilesh Yadav to post Muslim constables in every police station to ensure the community is not targeted during riots. There is a big conspiracy going on against us," he said.
Mulayam was addressing party workers at SP office in Lucknow on Tuesday.
Modi had targeted the Congress on the same issue after inaugurating a hospital in Gujarat on Sunday. "Who is responsible for the Partition of the country? Had Congress accepted Jinnah's demand for nominating a Muslim minister from his quota in the government in 1937, the country would not have witnessed Partition," Mulayam said.
"There were five Muslim ministers but Jinnah's candidate was not included. He felt that when Congress is ditching him now, there will be no scope later in the Hindu dominated country. He thus raised the demand for Pakistan," Mulayam said.
"If India had not witnessed Partition, it would have been the most powerful country in the world. People would have been living in harmony," he added.
Mulayam, while exhorting his party workers to take the coming Lok Sabha polls seriously, said: "We are in a better position. There is no challenge from Modi who is present only in Gujarat. Congress is weak in Gujarat and is not able to face Modi in the state, leave aside the whole country." Mulayam also stated that only SP can challenge Modi. "Modi is nowhere, we have 80 seats in UP and can win double the seats in Gujarat," he said.
Mulayam also clarified the stand of SP on several issues while offering tips to party workers.
"We had opposed reservation in promotion as the result would have been catastrophic. Only one community would have bagged all important posts. When we could not prevent it by numbers, we snatched the bill and tore it. You all must have seen it on TV. Publicise this in your area," he said.
Mulayam also explained he is not against women's reservation bill but it should be made mandatory for political parties. "If my constituency is reserved for women, my political career would be finished. Congress president is a woman and she can contest from any seat," he said.
Mulayam also said that he, along with Janata Dal (united) president Sharad Yadav, had met PM Manmohan Singh over a bill, which will be introduced in the coming session of Parliament. "We had reservations over some portions and the PM has assured us to reconsider," he said. It is believed Mulayam had taken up the communal violence bill before the PM.
Mulayam also focussed on Muslims who were also present during the informal meeting at party office. "I had not saved the (Babri) mosque in 1990, but had saved the country. I had asked Akhilesh Yadav to post Muslim constables in every police station to ensure the community is not targeted during riots. There is a big conspiracy going on against us," he said.
