Navjot Singh Sidhu rakes up Godhra, BJP tells him to go to Pakistan

A war of words erupted on Wednesday after former cricketer and Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu raked up Godhra.

Referring to BJP’s attack on him over his relation with Pakistan PM and some of his pro-Pakistan statements, he said - "I am son of a freedom fighter Bhagwant Singh Sidhu. Perpetrator of Godhra (train carnage) cannot question my nationalism."

Sidhu also alleged that Modi was attempting to divide the nation on caste and religious basis. PM Modi was Gujarat Chief Minister, when the Godhra train carnage and large scale communal riots took place in 2002.

Reacting sharply to Sidhu’s remarks, Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani said, "Congress did politics of appeasement but never worked for development of Muslims. Sidhu is known as the Pakistani dalal(agent). He has been given task by his party to talk language of Pakistan," said Rupani.

"On basis of his friendship with Imran Khan, he acts as a broker for Pakistan," the CM said. State BJP president Jitu Vaghani said that Sidhu should be made a minister in Pakistan. Later, Sidhu called Modi an anti-national while addressing a rally in Ahmedabad. Sidhu, who has been campaigning in Gujarat for the past couple of days, said that those who cause damage to government companies to benefit a few private companies are the real anti-nationals.