BJPs raps Ahmed on Advani remarks

Reacting to the comments made by Congress leader Shakeel Ahmed yesterday, BJP sought to know if this was the official line of the ruling party.

"The comment made by Congress spokesperson Shakeel Ahmad Khan about Advani is not only condemnable but also beyond all standards of political propriety. BJP would like to ask Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress President Sonia Gandhi whether Khan represents the official view of their party," BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad said.

The BJP said partition was an unfortunate event which uprooted lakhs of people, including the families of Manmohan Singh and former Prime Minister I K Gujral.

"Advani also came to India. Several of them (migrants) became senior journalists, generals and businessmen. What does the Congress spokesperson mean by this? I think the Congress needs to restrain him," Prasad said.

The party maintained that it is the civilisational, cultural moral and constitutional obligation of India that wherever in the world Hindus are being persecuted the issue of their human rights should be raised.

"The condition of Hindus in Pakistan is indeed very pitiable. Shakeel Ahmad has made a comment which is baseless, and below political propriety and dignity and BJP condemns it," Prasad said.