Union Steel Minister Beni Prasad Verma on Sunday described the friendship between Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi and Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Mulayam Singh Yadav as being similar to the association that prevailed between German dictator Adolf Hitler and his Italian counterpart Benito Mussolini.
He said their friendship could be seen through their respective responses to the recent Muzaffarnagar riots.
"In Indian politics, a Hitler has taken birth. And, in India's largest state, Uttar Pradesh, a Mussolini has taken birth. Hitler and Mussolini were friends, and now in India also, the two have a friendship and are very advanced," said Beni.
"In India, the Hitler led a massacre in Godhra and became a dictator in Gujarat. Today, a Muslim person cannot utter a word against him in Gujarat. Now, he is prime ministerial candidate. Nobody has the power to say a word against the Hitler. Today, his guru, who had resigned in protest against him being made the prime ministerial candidate, showed the green flag for the 'Run for Unity' and is praising Hitler," Beni added.
Describing the Muzaffarnagar riots as evidence of Hitler-Mussolini like friendship, Beni said, "People are suffering in refugee camps, but these people are friends of a big industrialist. In the Lok Sabha elections, Mussolini will not get even two seats. As far as Hitler is concerned, he will end anyway."
"It was the sacrifices of our elders because of which, this country became a democracy. Mahatma Gandhi is the hero of that movement. They don't talk about Gandhi. When Gandhi was assassinated in 1948, it was Sardar Patel, who was most hurt," he added.
