Despite being Muslim, Kalam was a nationalist: Sharma
19 Sept 2015 6:09 AM IST
"We have renamed Aurangzeb Road after a person, who despite being a Muslim, is a great nationalist...," Sharma told a news channel.
His remarks were sharply criticised by Congress which termed them as "convoluted and vicious". All India Majlis-e- Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader Asaduddin Owaisi also demanded Sharma should be made to quit the government for "suspecting nationalism" of Muslims.
Congress Spokesperson Shakeel Ahmed said, "Congress and myself, a practising Muslim, want to tell the Prime Minister and his Minister Mahesh Sharma that I am a nationalist and so were my father and grandfather and we do not need a certificate from this government to say so.
"It is the convoluted and vicious thought of this government that even in trying to honour the former President, they are insulting him," he said. Another party spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said, "We have found that the BJP, RSS or other fundamentalist elements of the Sangh Parivar speak wittingly or unwittingly such things that reveal their <g data-gr-id="25">inner most</g> prejudices and beliefs."
"This is the unfortunate hatred they harbour, which is repeatedly reflected in such statement."
Owaisi said, "First of all I would like to know from the Modi government because there is a collective responsibility in a Parliament democracy. Is this the opinion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi that this government views 17 <g data-gr-id="28">crore</g> proud Muslims in India as not being nationalist?"
"... Minister Mahesh Sharma, who is a Culture Minister, but an uncultured man has no right whatsoever to give a nationalist certificate to 17 <g data-gr-id="27">crore</g> proud Indians. I would like to know from the Prime Minister that he has said that he will give Quran in one hand and computer in another hand. Is that what he meant," the AIMIM leader hit out.
Owaisi demands Sharma’s dismissal
Flaying Union minister Mahesh Sharma for his comments that A P J Abdul Kalam was a great nationalist despite being a Muslim, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi today demanded his dismissal for "suspecting" the nationalism of 17 crore Indian Muslims. Owaisi said it was a travesty that even after 69 years of independence, the nationalism of Muslims was being suspected by a minister and wondered if Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared his opinion. "He (Sharma) clearly says that the late (President) Kalam despite being a Muslim was a nationalist and humanist. What does that convey? In plain and simple language, it clearly says that Muslims cannot be trusted,” he said.
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