NEW DELHI – Wading into the Jinnah row, Former Indian Army Chief VK Singhon Sunday said Muslims who support the presence of the Pakistan founder’sportrait in Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) are insulting theirforefathers, who had rejected his ideology.
“They are Indians today because of their forefathers,” the minister ofstate for external affairs said in a social media post.
A controversy has erupted over the presence of Muhammad Ali Jinnah’sportrait in AMU. A picture of the man responsible for India’s divisioncannot be accepted in a public-funded institution, they say.
Singh said, “If you are not a Muslim but support the portrait’s presencebecause you think that protests against it curbs your freedom, then youshould think if you would like on the walls of your house a picture ofsomebody whose hands are stained with the blood of your own people.”
“Without a doubt, freedom is everybody’s right. But we tend to forget thathow many great people shed their blood in achieving it. Will they be proudtoday of the manner in which you are using your freedom?” the former Armychief asked in the post titled ‘Let us protect our freedom from abuse’.
The minister said, “If you are a Muslim and want Jinnah’s portrait on yourwalls, then this is a huge insult of your forefathers who had rejected hisideology. You are an Indian today because of them.”
Apparently addressing AMU students, he said it is one of the leadinguniversities in the country and they (the students) should be aware of theexpectations the country has from them.
Singh suggested they have to choose between wisdom and prudence, ornarrow-mindedness and extremism.