Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
Chandigarh, The Punjab Congress President, Mr Partap Singh Bajwa, today strongly denounced the Narendra Modi government for ignoring the martyrdom day anniversary of Shrimati Indira Gandhi who sacrificed her life on this day for the unity and integrity of the country.
“This betrays parochial, partisan and narrow-minded thinking of the ruling party leadership at the centre as the prime minister represents the nation and not a particular political party. It is just more than the moral duty to observe the days associated with such towering national personalities. We appreciate that this government has remembered Sardar Patel but the legacy of such leaders should not be politicised nor appropriated for narrow vested interests. It was the same Sardar Patel, who as the Union Home Minister, had banned the fundamentalist RSS to which Mr Modi belongs. Ignoring of the anniversary of Shrimati Gandhi just cannot be condoned as she symbolised unity and integrity of the country”, he added.
Mr. Bajwa said the BJP had been associated with sectarian approach but the vast and diverse country like India could not be governed with such prejudiced thinking.
He said the BJP might have gained electorally but the party leaders could not take the support of the people for guaranteed for all time to come and they would have to answerable about their acts of omission and commission.
He recalled that it were the BJP leaders like Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee who had euologised her as Durga and it was on the record. He had given her this highest compliment on the floor of the Parliament on the creation of Bangladesh after the dismemberment of Pakistan. However, it was regrettable that the same very party government had given manifestation to its limited vision and approach by not observing the martyrdom day anniversary of Shrimati Gandhi.
He said this approach of the Modi government was unprecedented as no government at the centre had earlier ignored this day. The Modi government was setting up wrong and unhealthy precedents for the polity of this country, he added.
