Friday, June 10 2005 15:54 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: In an apparent disapproval of L K Advani's remarks on Mohammad Ali Jinnah, yet another BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) leader has come out with critical remarks saying that Pakistan founder Jinnah could never be an ideal or a torchbearer for Indian Muslims.

"We consider Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad as our leader. Indian Muslims are still suffering from the wounds inflicted by Jinnah and we came to BJP because of that," BJP Secretary and former Union Minister Shah Nawaz Hussain said in an interview to a Hindi weekly magazine 'Outlook'.

Criticising the two-nation theory of Jinnah, he said if it was not so, there would not have been so much divide between Hindu and Muslim in India.

"The way Jinnah wanted to give religious freedom in Pakistan, it still does not exist," he said.

In a balancing act, Hussain also hit out at Vishwa Hindu Parishad, saying it would be wrong to question the patriotism of L K Advani who has quit the top party post in the wake of criticism over his controversial remarks on Jinnah.

"It is wrong to point finger at the patriotism of Advani. When we talk of Parivar, VHP (Vishwa Hindu Parishad) leaders should remain within limits," Hussain commented when asked about the charge made by VHP leader Praveen Togadia that Advani was a "traitor."

He said that BJP had a large number of RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) volunteers as its members and it was difficult to overlook the Sangh's ideology.

"That is the reason, the suggestions made by RSS carry much weight for BJP. Nobody in the party can have the guts to go against the Sangh." As far as Advani's resignation was concerned, "he has not resigned under any pressure and it was on his own," Hussain said.