Congress slams Modi’s remarks on freedom fighters

The Prime Minister said BJP party workers had suffered more since Independence than Congress under the British

A day after Narendra Modi said the BJP had suffered more in independent India than the Congress had under British rule, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi took a pot-shot at the Prime Minister.

He tweeted a prayer for him which asks for freedom from ignorance. “Modiji a prayer for you: ‘ Asatoma Sadgamaya Tamasoma Jyotirgamaya Mrityorma Amritam gamaya Om shanti shanti shanti. ’ ” ("Lead me from ignorance to truth - from darkness to light - from death to immortality. Let there be peace for all living creatures)

Severe adversity

Mr. Modi, while laying the foundation for a new party office in the national capital, had contended that though the BJP had made more sacrifices than any other party, all its efforts were seen in “bad light”: “Even during British times, the Congress would not have faced so much adversity that we, our dedicated workers, have gone through in 50-60 years,” he said at the event that was attended by the BJP’s top brass.

Earlier in the day, Congress Deputy Leader in the Rajya Sabha Anand Sharma also commented on the Prime Minister’s remarks: “It does not behove the Prime Minister to lower the dignity of the office he holds by insulting our freedom fighters. Members of the RSS, the BJP’s mother organisation, were collaborators who opposed the freedom struggle. The BJP needs to be reminded that it is the direct beneficiary of India’s freedom, democracy and Constitution which allowed it win an election and form a government at the Centre.”

Demanding an apology from Mr. Modi, the Congress leader said: “The Prime Minister must withdraw his statement and apologise.”

Mr Sharma said he found it odd that even as the BJP was trying to appropriate icons of the freedom struggle such as Sardar Patel, it was insulting freedom fighters. Citing historical accounts, he pointed out how the RSS and BJP icons — and one of the founders of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh ( that had preceded the BJP) Shyamaprasad Mukherjee — had opposed the Quit India movement.

He also recalled that when the British decided that India would support its efforts in World War Two, Congress ministers in the states resigned en masse, even as members of the Hindu Mahasabha, with which the RSS had an ideological affinity, stepped into the breach.