On Sunday, the BJP accused Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut of “defaming” Gujarat by calling Ahmedabad a “mini Pakistan” and demanded that he apologize to the people of Gujarat and Ahmedabad.
Speaking to reporters in Mumbai earlier in the day, Raut asked if actress Kangana Ranaut had the courage to compare Ahmedabad to ‘mini Pakistan’ in the way she compared Mumbai to Pakistani-occupied Kashmir (POK).
Raut and Ranaut have been embroiled in a bitter war of words since the actress called Mumbai unsafe following the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput.
“If that girl apologizes to Mumbai and Maharashtra for calling Mumbai a ‘mini Pakistan’ then I’ll think about it.
Do you have the courage to say the same for Ahmedabad? the deputy of the Seine had asked.
Outraged by Raut’s comments, Gujarat BJP spokesman Bharat Pandya said the Sena leader insulted the state by calling Ahmedabad a mini Pakistan.
“You should apologize to Gujarat, Ahmedabad and Amdavadis,” he said.
Pandya said the Seine should stop taking any opportunity to smear Gujarat, Gujaratis and Gujarati leaders “targeting them for jealousy, hatred and malice.”
“This is the Gujarat of Gandhiji and Sardar Patel.
Sardar Patel has strengthened the unity and integrity of India by uniting 562 kingdoms. Junagadh and Hyderabad were prevented from going to Pakistan and forced to stay in India because of their guts and strength, ”he said.
Pandya added that Patel’s dream of making Kashmir an integral part of India by repealing Article 370 has been fulfilled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Interior Minister Amit Shah, who are from Gujarat.
“Therefore, Gujarat’s contribution to the unity and integrity of India in the past and present must be remembered,” he said.
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