NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday criticised Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sonia Gandhi over her allegation that the BJP is attempting to erase Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru’s legacy.
At a media briefing at the party’s central office, BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra accused the Congress of destroying the legacies of several national leaders to preserve what he termed the “so-called legacy” of Nehru.
He said the Congress had undermined the contributions of leaders such as Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and Dr B.R. Ambedkar. “Today, if anyone is causing the most damage to the legacy of Nehru, it is the members of the so-called Gandhi family themselves, who are out on bail in the National Herald case,” he said, a day ahead of the scheduled Lok Sabha discussion on “Vande Mataram”.
“When there will be a debate on Vande Mataram in Parliament tomorrow, I feel that the reality of Nehru will be revealed to everyone; he will again be exposed.” Prime Minister Narendra Modi will initiate the debate on the 150th anniversary of the national song, Vande Mataram, in the Lok Sabha on Monday, while Home Minister Amit Shah will begin the discussion in the Rajya Sabha on December 9.
On Sonia Gandhi’s accusations that a systematic attempt is being made to demolish Nehru’s multifaceted legacy and rewrite history, Patra hit back, saying the BJP is only trying to ensure that due recognition is given to leaders.
“The BJP is not trying to rewrite history. The BJP is trying to rectify the history and give due recognition to the people who really contributed towards the independence of this country and to the various other facets of this country,” he added.
Referring again to the National Herald case, Patra said, “If this is not to tarnish Nehru’s legacy, then who is tarnishing it?” The Lok Sabha has allocated 10 hours for the debate on Vande Mataram’s 150th anniversary.
‘BJP not rewriting history’
The BJP is not trying to rewrite history, said Patra, adding that the BJP is trying to rectify the history and give due recognition to the people who really contributed towards the country’s freedom