Cong, BJP fight over the dead
2 Nov 2014 5:22 AM IST
Bitterness between the Congress and the BJP was out in the open on Friday with the Congress terming the ‘Run for Unity’ to commemorate Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s birth anniversary as the Modi government’s attempt to overshadow the observance of former prime minister Indira Gandhi’s martyrdom. Gandhi was assassinated by her bodyguards on 31 October 30 years ago.
The Centre celebrated Sardar Patel’s birth anniversary, which coincided with Indira Gandhi’s death anniversary, as National Unity Day with Modi flagging off the ‘Run for Unity’ campaign on Friday morning. Just before thousands jogged down the Rajpath up to the India Gate monument nearly two kilometres away, Modi praised Sardar Patel as the ‘Iron Man of India’. While Modi invoked Indira Gandhi during his speech that was largely centred on paying tributes to Sardar Patel, he also made a veiled attack on the Congress for the 1984 anti-Sikh riots that broke out after Gandhi’s assassination.
‘It is unfortunate that on the birth anniversary of the man who dedicated his life in uniting the country, a tragic incident took place 30 years ago that shook the country and left it deeply scarred,’ said Modi. ‘Our own people were murdered, the attack was not on a particular community but on the entire nation. It was like a dagger pierced through India’s chest,’ he said in reference to the 1984 riots.
Unlike the previous Congress-led UPA government, which used to commemorate Gandhi’s death anniversary with wide media publicity and events, the new government chose to celebrate Patel’s birth anniversary.
This year was reportedly the first time that members of the central government stayed away from Indira Gandhi’s memorial at Delhi’s Shakti Sthal on her death anniversary. Only president Pranab Mukherjee attended the memorial service, led by Congress president Sonia Gandhi and vice-president Rahul Gandhi.
The Congress slammed the government saying the way Indira Gandhi’s death anniversary was marked was ‘disgusting’ and ‘petty-minded’. Party leader and deputy leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha Anand Sharma said, ‘It is petty-minded, it is partisan and disrespectful to those who gave their lives to their country, particularly Indira Gandhi who gave hers for the unity of this country. He added that this showed Modi and BJP for what they are.
Refuting the allegations of Congress leaders, union minister Venkaiah Naidu said, ‘There is no question of belittling the importance of any leader. Every leader has their place in history. There is no question of denying that. But Sardar Patel is one of the top most leaders who was a freedom fighter, unifier of India who should be role model for all.’
The Centre celebrated Sardar Patel’s birth anniversary, which coincided with Indira Gandhi’s death anniversary, as National Unity Day with Modi flagging off the ‘Run for Unity’ campaign on Friday morning. Just before thousands jogged down the Rajpath up to the India Gate monument nearly two kilometres away, Modi praised Sardar Patel as the ‘Iron Man of India’. While Modi invoked Indira Gandhi during his speech that was largely centred on paying tributes to Sardar Patel, he also made a veiled attack on the Congress for the 1984 anti-Sikh riots that broke out after Gandhi’s assassination.
‘It is unfortunate that on the birth anniversary of the man who dedicated his life in uniting the country, a tragic incident took place 30 years ago that shook the country and left it deeply scarred,’ said Modi. ‘Our own people were murdered, the attack was not on a particular community but on the entire nation. It was like a dagger pierced through India’s chest,’ he said in reference to the 1984 riots.
Unlike the previous Congress-led UPA government, which used to commemorate Gandhi’s death anniversary with wide media publicity and events, the new government chose to celebrate Patel’s birth anniversary.
This year was reportedly the first time that members of the central government stayed away from Indira Gandhi’s memorial at Delhi’s Shakti Sthal on her death anniversary. Only president Pranab Mukherjee attended the memorial service, led by Congress president Sonia Gandhi and vice-president Rahul Gandhi.
The Congress slammed the government saying the way Indira Gandhi’s death anniversary was marked was ‘disgusting’ and ‘petty-minded’. Party leader and deputy leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha Anand Sharma said, ‘It is petty-minded, it is partisan and disrespectful to those who gave their lives to their country, particularly Indira Gandhi who gave hers for the unity of this country. He added that this showed Modi and BJP for what they are.
Refuting the allegations of Congress leaders, union minister Venkaiah Naidu said, ‘There is no question of belittling the importance of any leader. Every leader has their place in history. There is no question of denying that. But Sardar Patel is one of the top most leaders who was a freedom fighter, unifier of India who should be role model for all.’
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