CHENNAI: The Centre's decision to award the Gandhi Peace Prize for 2021 to the Gorakhpur-based Gita Press has led to a war of words between Congress and BJP leaders.
Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh has called the decision a travesty. He said it is like awarding the likes of Savarkar and Godse, who actually opposed Gandhi's ideologies.
Taking to Twitter, he referred to a book published in 2015 and said that it unearths the stormy relations that the Gita Press had with the Mahatma.
On Sunday, the Union Ministry of Culture announced that the Gandhi Peace Prize for 2021 will be conferred to the Gorakhpur-based Gita Press for its "outstanding contribution towards social, economic and political transformation through non-violent and other Gandhian methods".
The ministry said that a jury headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi had unanimously selected Gita Press for the prize.
After news of the Gita Press winning the Gandhi Peace Prize was announced, Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated it on the achievement.
"I congratulate Gita Press, Gorakhpur on being conferred the Gandhi Peace Prize 2021. They have done commendable work over the last 100 years towards furthering social and cultural transformations among the people," he said in a tweet.
Amid the political row over the Gandhi Peace Prize 2021, Union Home Minister Amit Shah lauded the Gita Press.
"If India's glorious ancient Sanatan culture and base texts can be read easily today, Gita Press has an incomparable contribution to this," he tweeted.
He also tweeted that Gita Press getting the Gandhi Peace Prize 2021 is an honour for the "Bhagirath" works being done by them.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday launched a sharp attack on the grand old party.
Taking to Twitter, Sarma wrote: "With the win in Karnataka, Congress has now openly unleashed a war against India's civilisational values and rich legacy, be it in the form of the repeal of anti-conversion law or criticism against Gita Press. People of India will resist this aggression and reassert our civilisation values with equal aggression."
Reacting to the Congress' criticism of the decision to award the peace prize to the Gita Press, BJP MP and senior leader Ravishankar Prasad said, "...What can be expected from Congress that created hurdles on the path to the construction of Ram Temple? The one that opposes triple talaq...What can be more shameful than their comment on the Gandhi Peace Prize to Gita Press?"
(with inputs from IANS)