The Opposition has demanded that the Bharatiya Janata Party tender an apology for the remarks made by its leader Deen Dayal Upadhyay against the Tricolour in 1947.
The demand comes a day after the BJP announced that it would hold a Tiranga ekta rally in response to the Opposition’s Save Constitution rally on Republic Day.
Congress MP Rajeev Satav said, “The Chief Minister’s letterhead features the photograph of Upadhyay, who in an article in Organiser in 1947 said that it was inauspicious to have three colours on a flag and it would adversely impact the country’s population.” Mr. Satav was addressing a press conference along with Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MLA Jitendra Awhad and Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana (SSS) MP Raju Shetty.
Mr Satav asked Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to clarify whether he supported Upadhyay’s psoition. He said, “Holding tiranga rallies with such history is laughable. He must first issue a clarification and then talk about holding such rallies.”
Referring to another article in Organiser , the RSS mouthpiece, dated November 30, 1949, Mr. Awhad said an editorial claimed there was nothing Indian about the Constitution. He said, “The editorial praised Manusmriti and the rules proposed in it. If this is the legacy that has been passed on to the BJP, the party has no right to talk about the Constitution and the Tricolour.”
Mr. Shetty said he had supported the BJP because of their development agenda. He said, “But since the party came to power, it has done nothing for farmers. They have instead trying to change the very fabric of our Constitution. We oppose it and stand together to save the Constitution.”
