Shatrughan Sinha calls Jinnah part of Congress family, later clarifies

New Delhi, Apr 27: Actor-politician Shatrughan Sinha has courted controversy after he called Pakistan founder Mohammed Ali Jinnah a part of the Congress family.

Addressing a public rally in Sausar, Madhya Pradesh, on Friday, Sinha said the Congress belonged to Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Patel, Jinnah, Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi.

"These leaders had played the most important role in the development and freedom of the country. This is the reason why I have come here," he said.

On Saturday, he decried his Friday speech and said "I wanted to say Maulana Azad but uttered Muhammad Ali Jinnah."

Shatrughan Sinha, Congress candidate from Bihars Patna Sahib on his statement,"from Mahatma Gandhi to Muhammad Ali Jinnah, all part of Congress Parivar": Whatever I said yesterday was slip of tongue. I wanted to say Maulana Azad but uttered Muhammad Ali Jinnah. pic.twitter.com/WV7Nerwc3p

— ANI (@ANI) April 27, 2019

On Saturday, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath declined to comment on the development, saying that he has not heard Sinha's speech.

Reacting to Sinha's statement, Congress leader Chidambaram said, "Shatrughan Sinha, whatever his views are, he must explain. But a few days ago, he was part of BJP. So let the BJP explain why he was a part of the BJP for so many years. I don't have to explain the statement of every member(Congress). I can only speak for the party's official position."

Sinha, who left the BJP being denied a ticket contest the Lok Sabha election from Patna Sahib constituency in Bihar.