BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi on Tuesday landed in a controversy when he invoked a Kargil martyr’s slogan to pitch for 300 seats for NDA, a statement that was disapproved by the soldier’s family and attacked by political rivals.
Addressing rallies in Himachal Pradesh, he spoke of late Capt. Vikram Batra, who was killed in the Kargil conflict, and used a catch phrase associated with him—— Dil maange more to seek votes for his party.
“A son of this soil of Himachal Captain Vikram Batra had sacrificed his life and he had said Yeh Dil maange more (This heart wants more).
“I also say Yeh Dil maange more We want all the four Lok Sabha seats from Himachal Pradesh and 300 lotuses from India.... Yeh Dil maange more , Modi said.
The late captain had used this phrase when he had led his troops in recapturing a peak in Kargil and had declared that he wanted to do more.
However, the BJP leader’s use of the catch phrase did not go well with Batra’s family. Batra’s father G L Batra said the martyr’s name should not be politicised.
“At this moment doing politics over the name of Vikram Batra ji, I don’t think, is good. He was a brave son of the country who sacrificed for the nation. Now if they are remembering, doing politics over it, I think it does not behove,” Batra said.
He also asked why the BJP was not withdrawing its candidate against his wife Kamal Kanta, who is contesting on AAP ticket in Hamirpur, if it has respect for Batra.
The martyr’s mother said even if she used his name then there could be justification because he was her son and he died for the country.
The Congress also attacked Modi saying that martyr’s name should not be used for “petty political purposes.”
