New Delhi, Dec 24: BJP leader L K Advani today contested allegations that Sardar Patel was anti-Muslim and quoted Rafiq Zakaria, an Islamic scholar and Congress leader, who had done research on the ‘Iron Man', to underline his nationalistic credentials.
In his blog, Advani expressed surprise at a “perverse” article in a national magazine which quoted records to brand Patel as a man “rabidly communal in outlook” and Jawaharlal Nehru as a symbol “of secular nationalism”.
The article said this was the reason Sangh Parivar “worships one and hates the other”, inviting strong rebuttal from the veteran BJP leader who presented Zakaria's views, who is considered an authority on subjects related to Indian Muslims, to counter the charge.
Quoting Zakaria's book based on his lectures on “Sardar Patel and Indian Muslims”, Advani said the Congress leader too was under the impression that Patel did not like Muslims.
“I thought he (Patel) was unabashedly anti-Muslim. Should I, therefore, I wondered, venture on a theme in lectures organised in his memory, which may be critical of him,” Zakaria wrote.
