BJP official suspended after offensive post on Gandhiji

A Madhya Pradesh BJP functionary was suspended from the primary membership of the party for uploading an objectionable post about Mahatma Gandhi and dubbing him "Pakistan's father of the nation".

State BJP chief Rakesh Singh has suspended the primary membership of Saumitra, who was the party's media sampark department's state convener, with immediate effect, informed BJP state media in charge Lokendra Parashar in a press release.

In a Facebook post on Thursday night, Saumitra claimed, "He (Gandhiji) was the father of the nation, but of Pakistan, there were millions of sons like him in India some worthy and some worthless."

Parashar said the action was taken as Saumitra had breached party discipline, adding that the latter was given seven days to clarify.

After action on him by the BJP, Saumitra Friday claimed, "The concept of Pakistan was prepared by Britishers and its promulgators were Nehru (first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru) and Jinnah (Mohammed Ali Jinnah), who were in a hurry to become prime ministers. This process was blessed by Mahatma Gandhi."

Justifying his stand, he added, "Since Pakistan was carved out due to the silent blessings of Mahatma Gandhi, so he could be Rashtrapita of Pakistan."

"India was a nation since the sanatan period, several saints and sages were its sons. So, this nation could have sons and not a father. Father of the nation is a European concept, Gandhi could be a good son but, in known history, there is no father of the nation in India," Saumitra claimed.