The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is in for some major embarassment after its MP Savitri Bai Phule on Thursday said that Pakistan's founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah was a 'maha purush' who had contributed towards India's independence.
She said, "Jinnah was a 'maha purush' and will always remain so. He had contributed to country's independence."
Savitri Bai Phule's comments is on similar lines as Samajwadi Party MP Praveen Nishad recently likened Muhammad Ali Jinnah to Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru, as tension simmered at Aligarh Muslim University, the centre of a row over a portrait of the Pakistan founder.
Jinnah's portrait at AMU had raked in controversy after Aligarh MP Satish Gautam had shot off a letter to AMU Vice Chancellor Tariq Mansoor questioning the same.
AMU spokesman Shafey Kidwai had defended the portrait, saying that Jinnah was a founder member of the University Court and granted life membership of the student union.
Traditionally, photographs of all life members are placed on the walls of the student union, he said.
"Jinnah was also accorded life membership of the AMUSU in 1938. He was the founder member of the University Court in 1920 and also a donor," the spokesman said.
He was granted membership before the demand of Pakistan had been raised by the Muslim League," he said.