ISIS suspects at Ahmed Patel's hospital case: Congress must come clean, says BJP

Patel rejected the charge as "completely baseless" and urged the BJP not to politicise matters pertaining to national security and divide the peace-loving Gujaratis.

Image: Twitter

New Delhi/Ahmedabad: Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani demanded Congress leader Ahmed Patel's resignation as Rajya Sabha MP, alleging that a suspected ISIS operative arrested recently used to work at a hospital where Patel had been a trustee earlier. Patel rejected the charge as "completely baseless" and urged the BJP not to politicise matters pertaining to national security and divide the peace-loving Gujaratis. Union minister Prakash Javadekar also said that the Congress "owes an explanation as to how a terrorist had been working there for so long". Two suspected ISIS operatives were arrested by the Gujarat Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS) two days ago. According to an FIR, one of the accused, Kasim Stimberwala, earlier worked as a technician at Sardar Patel Hospital in Ankleshwar town of Bharuch district. Rupani said in Gandhinagar that Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi and Patel owe a clarification to the nation as the matter pertains to national security. "This is a serious issue, as a terrorist was arrested from a hospital which is being run by Patel... It has now been revealed that though Patel had resigned as a trustee of that hospital in 2014, but he is still at the helm of the hospital's affairs," the Gujarat CM alleged. "Imagine what would have happened if these two terrorists were not arrested... Patel, Rahul Gandhi and the Congress must come clean on the issue. We also want Patel to resign as Rajya Sabha MP," he demanded. "It has now been revealed that Kasim had resigned just two days before he was arrested. This raises several questions. Patel must clarify how such a person got a job in his hospital and why he resigned just days ahead of his arrest," Rupani said. Replying to the charges, Patel tweeted, "My party and I appreciate the ATS' effort to nab the two terrorists. I demand strict and speedy action against them. The allegations put forward by the BJP are completely baseless." On Saturday, BJP sought clarification from Congress President Sonia Gandhi over alleged links of her Political Secretary Ahmed Patel to a suspected terrorist arrested in poll-bound Gujarat, saying if the party doesn't come clean over the issue it will be linked to terrorism by people. "The investigative agencies have arrested an IS suspect from a hospital in Gujarat. Ahmed Patel is associated with the hospital. Congress will have to answer. It cannot run away," Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said at a press conference.

Cong must come clean, else blot on them will be larger than that for corruption: MA Naqvi on alleged ISIS suspects at Ahmed Patel's hospital pic.twitter.com/AboVsUL5ts

— ANI (@ANI) October 28, 2017

Instead of taking action,Congress is busy in accusing BJP of politicising the issue. This makes Ahmed Patel even more questionable: MA Naqvi pic.twitter.com/YFesRMsHDO

— ANI (@ANI) October 28, 2017