Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani on Friday launched a scathing attack at Congress leader Ahmed Patel and asked him to explain how a suspected ISIS terrorist was employed at a hospital where the latter was one of the trustees.
One of the two ISIS terrorists, Kasim Stimberwala, who was arrested by the Gujarat ATS on Thursday, was employed at a Bharuch hospital where Ahmed Patel was a trustee.
Kasim worked as an echo technician in Sardar Patel Hospital and Heart Institute in Bharuch.
He, however, tendered his resignation to the hospital management on October 4 this year and served there for another 20 days.
Two days later, he was arrested for allegedly plotting an Islamic State-inspired lone-wolf terror attack on a synagogue in Ahmedabad.
Addressing a press conference, the Gujarat CM today asked for clarification from Patel and Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi.
"These two accused were working in the hospital run by Congress leader Ahmed Patel who was a trustee there. Patel along with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi should clarify how suspected ISIS recruits were employed at the hospital," Rupani said.
The Gujarat CM demanded to take the responsibility and resign from the Rajya Sabha on moral grounds.
It is to be noted that Patel stepped down as the trustee from the hospital in 2014. However, his presence in 2016, when the then President Pranab Mukherjee inaugurated the hospital, was evident.
Meanwhile, the Congress termed Rupani's claims as baseless with party spokesperson Randeep Surjewala saying, "The BJP is trying to hide its incompetence by making such baseless statements."
Ahmed Patel also rubbished Rupani's claims as baseless. "Request matters of national security not be politicised keeping elections in mind," he said.
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