Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has reignited debate over the 1947 Partition of India, squarely blaming the Congress party for the division and the ensuing bloodshed. Speaking at an event in Lucknow commemorating the Partition's horrors, Adityanath claimed that the tragic events could have been prevented under different leadership.
Adityanath's Controversial Claim
During his address, Adityanath posited that had figures like Narendra Modi or Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel held the Prime Minister's office at the time of Independence, India would not have suffered the extensive damage and disintegration witnessed. "Had Narendra Modi been the prime minister of India at the time of Independence, nobody would have been able to damage India in the slightest," he stated. He further added, "If a person like Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was the prime minister at that time, nobody would have been able to disintegrate India."
The Chief Minister accused the Congress of prioritizing power above national unity, alleging they treated the country as a personal possession and a family legacy. He criticized what he termed the "cowardice" of Congress members, which he suggested led to the heavy price paid by the nation. Adityanath also drew parallels to recent events, referencing the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protests.
Allegations Regarding Territorial Division
Adityanath further alleged that territories not explicitly demanded by Pakistan were forcibly handed over during the Partition. He claimed that Sindh, a Hindu and Sindhi-dominated region, and parts of Punjab, a Punjabi-dominated area, were unjustly ceded. Similarly, he asserted that many Hindu-dominated villages in Bengal were coercively given to what became Bangladesh.
"This shameful act was committed by the Congress, which was extra-restless for power, and on whom the country had reposed its trust. It repaid that trust with betrayal," Adityanath remarked.
He also accused the Congress of remaining silent during attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh, suggesting that the party feared losing its vote bank if it reacted. According to Adityanath, the murder of Dalit Hindus held no significance to them, with only electoral gains mattering.
The Chief Minister concluded by stating that internal strife and divisions based on caste, region, and language contributed to the country's vulnerability, making it susceptible to external conspiracies and effectively rendering it "slave-like."