Published 16:16 IST, February 21st 2020
Giriraj Singh's communal shocker: 'Paying price for not sending Muslims to Pak in 1947'
Giriraj Singh, a member of the Union Cabinet, in his latest communal speech, said that all Muslims should have been sent to Pakistan during the 1947 partition.
Giriraj Singh, a member of the Union Cabinet, in his latest communal speech, said that all Muslims should have been sent to Pakistan during the partition in 1947. Speaking in Bihar's Purnia on Wednesday, the BJP MP called it a "big lapse" by the ancestors, for which "we're paying the price for."
Calling for people to "commit" themselves to the nation, Giriraj Singh said, Before 1947, (Muhammad Ali) Jinnah called for an Islamic nation. It was a big lapse by our ancestors that we're paying the price for. If at that time Muslim brothers had been sent there and Hindus brought here, we wouldn't be in this situation. If Bharatvanshiyas don't get shelter here where will they go?" The statement by a Union Minister comes at a time with the ruling BJP is facing flak over the contentious citizenship law, proposed NRC and NPR, that critics have viewed as 'polarising' towards the Muslim community in the country.
Giriraj Singh's hate speech
Not alien to communal speeches, Giriraj Singh was reportedly summoned by BJP chief JP Nadda after he called an Islamic seminary in Uttar Pradesh's Deoband a "fountainhead of terrorism" last week. In his address, Giriraj Singh further said that terrorists like "Hafiz Saeed are the product of Deoband." The BJP leader, in addition, commenting on the population of Muslims in the country said, "Their population has reached 20 crores. Resources available are only 2%. That's why the strictest population control law should be implemented. Those who refuse to accept it, be it from any religion, their voting rights should be taken away."
Earlier on February 6, prior to the Delhi Assembly poll result, Giriraj Singh in a communal statement alleged that the protest site, Shaheen Bagh is conspiring against the nation and "suicide bombers" are being trained there. However, he deleted the tweet later but maintained: "This is a Khilafat movement going on, Sharjeel Imam is saying that let's break the country, PFI pamphlets are saying so. A child dies, and his mother says he is a martyr, what is this if not suicide bombing?"
The Begusarai MP was booked, during the Lok Sabha 2019 poll campaign on April 26, 2019, for violating the Model Code of Conduct by commenting against Muslims. "My ancestors died at the Simaria ghat and no grave was built for them but you (Muslims) need three hand-spans of space," he added.
In a similar instance, back on April 25, 2014, the BJP leader was granted anticipatory bail for his alleged hate speech during the election campaign. Patna District and Sessions Judge Birendra Kumar granted bail to Singh in the context of an FIR lodged at Patna airport police station on April 21 under provisions of the Representation of Peoples Act, 1950 and Indian Penal Code(IPC). The former Minister in Bihar CM Nitish Kumar's Cabinet had said on April 19, 2014, that those who oppose PM Modi should go to Pakistan. Three FIRs had been lodged against him at Deogarh, Bokaro, and Patna for his hate speeches.
Updated 16:20 IST, February 21st 2020