NEW DELHI – A controversy has erupted in India on Sunday after it was foundthat the prospectus of a private medical college owned by RJD MP AshfaqKarim in Bihar’s Katihar shows Azad Kashmir as part of Pakistan. India’sstated position is that entire Kashmir is its integral part, and retrievingAzad Kashmir from Pakistan is on its agenda.
This comes a day after a row over a Pakistani girl featuring as a “brandambassador” of government-run programmes in Bihar, DNA has reported.
The Katihar district administration has launched an investigation. RajyaSabha MP Karim admitted to a “printing mistake” and said, “The copies ofthe prospectus were returned to the press to make the required correctiontwo weeks ago. We also stopped its distribution.”
Karim, also the director of the college, said the college will inquire asto how the wrong map image was printed on the cover page.
He said the purpose of the map was to show Katihar’s location toprospective students, who come from across the country. “It is wrong tomake it a political issue. Mistakes can happen but what is important is toadmit and rectify,” he said.
BJP leader and Union Minister Giriraj Singh said it was an attempt todivide the country by “supporters” of Pakistan’s founder Mohammad AliJinnah. “Divisive forces are at work to break the nation. It is unfortunatethat Jinnah’s genie has entered the country,” he told reporters. RJD’sShivanand Tiwari also condemned the mistake and suggested that Karim shouldapologise for it.
A Pakistan girl featuring as the “brand ambassador” of government-runprogrammes had triggered a controversy in Bihar on Saturday. Chief MinisterNitish Kumar ordered a probe into the incident. The girl’s photograph wasfound on the cover page of a booklet and other stationery, published by theJamui district administration to promote ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ and’Swachha Jamui, Swastha Jamui’ programmes.