On Jinnah Controversy, A Reality Check From Nitish Kumar

Nitish Kumar said "Those who are creating controversies were not around when the country got freedom and they played no role in freedom movement"

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar failed to toe the BJP line on the Jinnah controversy today. In some hard hitting remarks that appeared to club his Uttar Pradesh counterpart Yogi Adityanath with Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav who set off the controversy, he said "Those who are creating controversies were not around when the country got freedom and they played no role in freedom movement". Then dismissing the matter altogether, he said, "Is it pleasant to discuss such issues?"

Mohammad Ali Jinnah is the founding father of Pakistan and will receive respect there, the Bihar Chief Minister said. "Many people played their part in the war of Independence and the country got divided into two parts. This is significant in the other country (Pakistan)… Those who played their role in making the country will always have their place, respect in that country," Mr Kumar said when asked about the issue.   

"Did Bapu (Mahatma Gandhi) like this? No, Bapu did not like this. But the situation led to this (partition). And later, Pakistan got divided into two. No point discussing all this here. It not required. It is not a good thing that the country got divided. If our country was united, how much it would have prospered," he added.

Mr Kumar had made a trip to Pakistan in 2012 during which he also visited Jinnah 's tomb in Karachi.