Pakistan-Bangladesh merger with India possible, like ‘Germany unification’, Khattar says

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar made these remarks after inaugurating BJP’s national Minority Morcha training camp Monday.

File photo of Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar | ANI

New Delhi: Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has said that at a time when a “woman from the most backward class has got a chance to become the President” of India, neighbouring countries like Pakistan and Bangladesh are witnessing “maar dhaad” (violence). 

The Haryana CM made these remarks after inaugurating a three-day training camp of the BJP’s national Minority Morcha Monday. He also quipped that when “east Germany and west Germany can unite (sic), the merger of Pakistan and Bangladesh with India can also be possible”, according to a press release issued by the morcha.  

In an indirect reference to Sri Lanka, he said that the “president of a country has to run away as there is no peace”. 

“Referring to the neighbouring countries, the CM said that in our country, in a democratic way, a woman from the most backward class has got a chance to become President, this is possible only in India. He said that while President Droupadi Murmu is taking oath in peace, there is a fight in Bangladesh and Pakistan, the president of a country is running away, there is no peace there. He said that we want peace and tranquility,” said the morcha press release.

Khattar further said that the main goal of the BJP is to make India “the head of the world”.  

The three-day training camp for minority communities was organised at the BJP state office in Gurugram. Jamal Siddiqui, BJP’s minority morcha head, was also present at the event. 

“Through this training programme, we want to strengthen our team and at the same time find unique ways of highlighting the work that the Modi government has been doing for the weaker sections of society and the minorities, especially the Pasmanda community,” Siddiqui told ThePrint. 

Khattar also termed the Partition as “painful”, and said it was on religious lines. He claimed that people from minority communities were given the “minority” tag so that they do not develop a “feeling of fear and insecurity”.

‘Congress creating feeling of insecurity among minorities’

“The chief minister said that the Congress created a feeling of insecurity among the minorities by showing the fear of the Sangh. But gradually, minorities have now started to understand BJP’s actions and words. And they have also started understanding Congress’ thinking and ideology,” the minority morcha statement said. 

Taking a jibe at the Congress, Khattar said that the opposition party is “pained” by chants of ‘Bharat Mata’.  

“The chief minister said that in 1984, the BJP had two seats in the Lok Sabha. But after 12 years, Atal Vihari Vajpayee formed the government, although that government was dependent on other parties. In 2014, Narendra Modi’s government was formed with an absolute majority. He said that Modi’s only slogan is ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas and Sabka Prayas’. Now, faith in the BJP has started building among the minorities, especially among the Muslims,” the morcha statement further said. 

There were four sessions of the training camp, of which one was addressed by Union Minister of State for Minority Affairs John Barla. “In the second session, Minister of State in Uttar Pradesh Danish Azad Ansari gave his views on the role of backward minority society in social upliftment,” the morcha statement said.

(Edited by Gitanjali Das)