When people of J-K ask for ‘Azadi’ they actually seek autonomy: Chidambaram in Rajkot

Calling the demand of the BJP wanting the resignation of Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s political advisor Ahmed Patel outrageous, Chidambaram said Patel was a trustee of the hospital but had resigned or retired in 2015. He added if a person joined as a technician and then he was linked to ISIS, how was some trustee who had left hospital three years ago responsible.

READ | Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani links ISIS case with Ahmed Patel

Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani demanded Patel’s resignation as Rajya Sabha MP, alleging that a suspected ISIS operative arrested recently used to work at a hospital where Patel had been a trustee earlier. Patel had rejected the charge as “completely baseless” and urged the BJP not to politicise matters pertaining to national security and divide the peace-loving Gujaratis.

Rupani was referring to the recent arrest of two suspected ISIS operatives by the Gujarat Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS). As per the FIR, one of the accused, Kasim Stimberwala, used to work as a technician at Sardar Patel Hospital in Ankleshwar town of Bharuch district.

“I have gathered some facts from my friends. Ahmed Patel was a trustee of a hospital, I believe he resigned or retired in 2015. I am amazed by these kind of outrageous demands. Now if somebody joins as a technician and then he is linked to ISIS, how is some trustee of 3 years ago responsible,” said Chidambaram.

The Congress leader also took a jibe at BJP leader Sangeet Som’s remarks on Taj Mahal when he said “the builder of the monument had worked to eliminate Hindus from Uttar Pradesh and India”.

READ | Sangeet Som, often controversial, his remarks sometimes disowned by BJP

Chidambaram said it was sad that people talk about the historic monument, Taj Mahal, in derogatory terms. He added that they either do not understand history or India’s composite culture. “It is sad. Those who talk about Taj Mahal in derogatory terms do not understand either history or India’s composite culture,” said Chidambaram.

Taking a dig at the demonetisation policy of the government, Chidambaram said it ‘is the biggest man made disaster that hit India, worse than the Tsunami that hit in 2004’. The former finance minister said he would have quit as finance minister if forced to implement the measure. He also targeted Modi over “hasty” implementation of the GST, and his pet bullet train project. “If my prime minister had asked me to do demonetisation, I would have advised him ‘please don’t’, and if he had insisted, then I would have resigned,” he said.

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