Congress functionary’s tweet on Vajpayee courts controversy ahead of Rahul’s visit to memorial

The former PM had boycotted the Quit India movement and worked as a British informer reporting against those who participated in the andolan, the tweet said

The statue of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in Patna. File | Photo Credit: PTI 

A Congress functionary attached to the office of party president Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday courted controversy by calling former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee a “British Informer” during the Quit India movement. The remark has come a day before Rahul Gandhi’s scheduled visit to the late leader’s memorial.

In a tweet, Gaurav Pandhi said, “In 1942, like all other members of the RSS, Atal Bihari Vajpayee boycotted the Quit India movement and worked as a British informer reporting against those who participated in the andolan.”

“Be it Nellie massacre or demolition of Babri, Vajpayee played an important role in inciting mobs. There is a reason why BJP leaders today always liken Modi with Gandhi, Patel or other Congress leaders and not Savarkar, Vajpayee or Golwalkar. They know the truth!,” the tweet further said.

Mr. Gandhi is scheduled to visit the memorials of Vajpayee, Mahatma Gandhi, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Lal Bahadur Shastri on Monday. The visit, which was initially supposed to happen on Saturday after the conclusion of the day’s yatra in Delhi, had been rescheduled.

Meanwhile, a senior Congress leader told The Hindu that the tweet was “unwarranted” and that there is no change in Mr. Gandhi’s plan to visit Vajpayee’s memorial.

Quoting the tweet, BJP leader Jitin Prasada questioned whether Mr. Pandhi’s comments have the official sanction of the Congress party.

“Leaders like Atalji have earned the respect of leaders across political lines and the love of the people of India because of his undying commitment to the nation. Does this [the tweet] have official sanction from the party?” he tweeted.

Mr. Pandhi’s tweet came on a day when some senior Congress leaders recalled Vajpayee’s legacy.

Congress General Secretary in-charge of Communications Jairam Ramesh had tweeted, “Today is the birth anniversary of Atal Bihari Vajpayee. He was a first-term MP when he co-signed a letter to Nehru requesting for Parliament to be convened earlier than scheduled to debate the Chinese invasion. Nehru agreed. Now MPs can’t even discuss ongoing Chinese incursions”.