MUMBAI: A week ago, when a Shiv Sena activist tried to intimidate the owner of city-based Karachi Sweets to dispense with ‘Karachi’, he may not have realised the row would give state politicians an opportunity to re-imagine India’s boundaries.
Former CM Fadnavis had said, “BJP is in favour of Akhand Bharat. The day is not far when Karachi will be part of India.” Taking a dig at him, Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Raut said BJP must regain PoK first, while NCP’s minister Nawab Malik took it further, saying if Germany could become one, “BJP should not find it tough to merge Pakistan and Bangladesh in Akhand Bharat”.
Regain PoK, it will be a real achievement for BJP: Raut
Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Raut and NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik were the other stalwarts who weighed in on the idea of an enlarged India with Karachi on its map. Raut reacted to Fadnavis’s statement with even more bombast, saying former the CM should first think of regaining areas under Pak-occupied Kashmir first. “In my opinion, before thinking of Karachi, he must first concentrate on bringing back PoK, only then will it be a real achievement for the BJP,’’ Raut said.
Skill development minister Nawab Malik was the next to wade in. He said there was no reason to stop at PoK either; the BJP should make efforts for the merger of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh as well. “Only then will it realise an Akhand Bharat. The BJP should take a lead in that direction in the interest of the country,” he said. Malik said if the Berlin Wall can be razed for the merger of East and West Germany, it should not be difficult for the BJP to merge all these countries to achieve its goal of Akhand Bharat.