NEW DELHI: In a counter to Congress MP Shashi Tharoor’s comparison of JNU student leader Kanhaiya Kumar to freedom fighter Bhagat Singh, the BJP is set to hold a three-day event across the country to hail the martyr’s philosophy.
During this three-day programme starting with the martyrdom day of Bhagat Singh on March 23, BJP will organise functions across the country during which speeches will be held. Next day, which happens to be Holi, BJP workers will sing Rang de Basanti Chola , Bhagat Singh’s favourite song, and finally on Friday, BJP workers would burn effigies of those with “anti-national intentions.”
The BJP hit out at the Congress for glorification of Kanhaiya. It sought an apology from the Congress and Tharoor for comparison between Bhagat Singh and Kanhaiya. Union Minister Prakash Javadekar said the Opposition party may have distanced itself from its MP’s comments but that was not adequate as he had not withdrawn it or expressed regret.
“What is Congress doing? For 12 years, it opposed Modi, for two years, it opposed development (under Modi), then it gave respectability to anti-India slogans raised in JNU and now insulting martyrs has become the identity of Congress under Rahul Gandhi,” he told the media at a party briefing.
Tharoor said so with an eye on Kerala assembly polls, Javadekar alleged.
Referring to reports that Kanhaiya’s posters have been used by some Congress leaders in Assam polls, Javadekar said it showed that the opposition party had no role model left and was depending on “borrowed pictures”. “Their role models have failed. It is political bankruptcy of the Congress.”
There can be no comparison between Kumar and Singh as the former is accused of glorifying Afzal Guru, convicted of helping foreign terrorists attack Parliament, while the latter chose the gallows in his fight against foreign invaders, he said.
Kanhaiya meets Rahul, to join protests in hyderabad and visit vemula’s mother
JNU students’ union president Kanhaiya Kumar will be visiting Hyderabad Central University on Wednesday to join the protest against Rohith Vemula’s suicide. “Kanhaiya is leaving for Hyderabad tomorrow along with a delegation of JNU students and AISF members. He is expected to address the protest gathering over Vemula’s suicide and also meet his mother,” an AISF member said. Hyderabad University saw protests on Tuesday after Vice Chancellor Appa Rao Podile resumed office after going on leave following Vemula’s suicide. Kumar on Tuesday met Congress V-P Rahul Gandhi at the latter’s home. While Kanhaiya did not interact with the media after his hour-long meeting, NSUI Chief Roji M John called it a courtesy call to thank Gandhi for his support.