Candidate’s Kargil remarks draw ire on eve of polls

UP Minister Azam Khan said Muslim soldiers alone fought Kargil war for India.

DELHI:

A statement made by Uttar Pradesh Minister Azam Khan that Muslim soldiers alone fought and won the 1999 Kargil war for India has created a storm in a charged political atmosphere with the Bharatiya Janata Party making strong objection and the armed forces expressing disapproval.

Ten constituencies in Western Uttar Pradesh go to the polls today (Thursday).

Khan – who made his name as the Convenor of the Babri Masjid Action Committee, the body formed after a dispute broke out in the 1990s over a place of worship which was claimed as a mosque by the Muslims and the birth place of Lord Ram by the Hindus – later joined the Samajwadi Party but has a huge following among Muslims.

He modified his statement (made on Tuesday night during a public meeting) later and said in a press release that soldiers of all communities helped win Operation Parakram. The Election Commission has sought report from UP poll authorities on the remarks.

Talking to reporters, Khan said: “What is the harm in talking about the contributions of Muslims for the country…why can’t we talk about it? Why are the sacrifices of Muslim soldiers being ignored? What is so wrong about it? My statement on Kargil should be welcomed.”
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Ten of the 80 constituencies in politically key Uttar Pradesh will go to poll on Thursday:
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Earlier in the day, the Election Commission sought details on the speech of Azam Khan over his Kargil remarks. The Congress registered a complaint to the poll panel against Khan.

In a speech during an election rally on Tuesday night, Khan said: “Those who fought for victory in Kargil were not Hindu soldiers, in fact the ones who fought for our victory were Muslim soldiers.”

Khan also went on to say that no one can guard the country’s borders better than those from the Muslim community. “Recruit us in the Indian Army. No one can guard the borders of our nation better than us,” he said.

Former Army Chief and BJP’s candidate in Ghaziabad Gen V K Singh condemned Khan’s remarks, saying the Kargil war was “won by Indians”. Singh is looking to capitalise on the significant population of ex-servicemen in the area.

Congress spokesman Randeep Surjewala said action should be taken against Khan for “intemperate” remarks that could lead to division of communities based on religion or caste.

The armed forces, already upset that former Gen VK Singh has put up posters of himself in the company of uniformed Indian Army officers, is said to have taken up the matter with the government strongly.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 10^th, 2014.