Jinnah, Savarkar behind India’s partition; BJP now dividing neighbourhoods: Digvijaya Singh

Indore, Oct 31 (PTI) Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh has alleged that Mohammad Ali Jinnah and Hindutva ideologue V D Savarkar caused India’s partition in 1947, while the ruling BJP is currently dividing the cities and neighbourhoods.

He made the claim on Thursday in response to questions concerning media reports about the alleged exodus of Hindus from two Muslim-majority localities in Sagar city in the state.

“Jinnah (founder of Pakistan) and Savarkar divided the country, and now the BJP is dividing every city and every neighbourhood,” the Rajya Sabha member told reporters in Indore.

To a question about the BJP’s ‘Run for Unity’ on Friday (October 31), marking the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the Congress leader said, “We welcome this event, but don’t forget that October 31 is also a martyrdom day.” He was referring to former prime minister Indira Gandhi, who was assassinated by her bodyguards on the morning of October 31, 1984.

Singh also said that “proofs of citizenship” are being collected under the guise of the Special Intensive Revision of voter lists in the country.

“Why are booth-level officers (BLOs) removing the names of people who have already voted three or four times from the voter list, even though no complaints have been filed? In double-engine governments, BLOs are functioning like BJP workers,” he added. PTI HWP MAS NR