Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], August 22 (ANI): The Uttarakhand Congress on Saturday launched a sharp attack on Uttarakhand BJP president Mahendra Bhatt over his remarks on Vande Mataram, calling the statement "absurd and unbecoming".
In an official statement, Congress spokesperson Pratima Singh alleged that Bhatt's remarks reflected "ideological narrow-mindedness and political bankruptcy".
BJP's state unit president had said that Congress' decision to sing two stanzas of Vande Mataram was "anti-national and unconstitutional".
Targeting the BJP, Singh said, "It is extremely ironic and shameful that leaders of an organisation which remained completely absent from the freedom movement, and which did not hoist India's national flag, the Tricolour, at its Nagpur headquarters for 52 years after Independence, are today lecturing others on patriotism and nationalism. An ideological stream that remained disconnected from the Tricolour and other national symbols for more than half a century has no right to question the Congress party's history of patriotism."
Singh said the Congress has a long history of sacrifice and nation-building, adding that the national song Vande Mataram has a close association with Congress sessions. She said the party does not need a certificate of patriotism from the BJP.
Calling the 52 years a "dark chapter," she alleged that those who did not hoist the Tricolour at their headquarters for decades are now projecting themselves through "pseudo-nationalism."
She further accused the BJP of diverting public attention from key issues in Uttarakhand, including the Ankita Bhandari murder case, the alleged Kedarnath sanctum gold scam, unemployment and law and order concerns.
"To divert attention from serious issues in Uttarakhand, including the Ankita Bhandari murder case, the alleged Kedarnath sanctum gold scam, soaring unemployment and the collapse of law and order, the BJP president is making such divisive statements," she said.
Singh said the Congress would expose what she called the BJP's "anti-people and diversionary agenda" before the people of the state.
Challenging Mahendra Bhatt, she said he should address issues such as unemployment among Uttarakhand's youth, women's safety and stalled development in the state instead of making "baseless statements."
"The Congress will never allow the BJP's divisive and hate-driven agenda to succeed on the sacred land of Devbhoomi Uttarakhand," she said.
Singh further alleged that Bhatt lacked understanding of the freedom struggle and accused the BJP of glorifying "Maafiveer" Savarkar and Nathuram Godse, the assassin of Mahatma Gandhi. (ANI)
"Remained disconnected from freedom movement, now questioning our patriotism": Uttarakhand Congress slams state BJP chief Bhatt
