Prime Minister Narendra Modi has started the campaign for the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, the Opposition said, reacting to his announcement of observing August 14 as “Partition Horrors Remembrance Day”.
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Congress general secretary (Communication) Randeep Surjewala shared a letter on Twitter written by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan on March 22 on the occasion of National Day of Pakistan.
“The divisive duplicity exposed! Congratulate Pakistan on 22nd March, the day Muslim League (22/3/1940) passed the “Partition Resolution”; Congratulate Pak on every 14th August; BUT…Start diversionary politics at home,” Mr. Surjewala tweeted.
In a statement Mr. Surjewala said Mr. Modi’s announcement was directly linked to the upcoming Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh and was a diversionary tactic when the country is reeling under inflation.
“Fuel prices have crossed ₹100 per litre, cooking oil is for more than ₹200 per litre and cooking gas is now at ₹888 per cylinder. Since the government has done nothing creditworthy it is now preparing for a partition again,” Mr. Surjewala said.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said Mr. Modi is an expert in “doublespeak” and “hypocrisy”.
“He offers platitudes while he and the toxic ecosystem he has nurtured do everything to polarise and divide, to spread venom and hate, and to use fear and intimidation as instruments of grabbing power and derailing governance,” Mr Ramesh said.
Rather than observing a “remembrance day”, many leaders said it would have been better if the government worked to maintain communal harmony.
“The PM recalls the horrors of Partition when there was violence, hatred and division among people. A true tribute to the sacrifice of our freedom fighters would be to ensure that there is no hatred, disharmony and violence among us in modern India,” NCP leader Majeed Memon tweeted.
Responding to the announcement, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said, “India refused to become a mirror image or Pakistan. Back then we had rejected the Hindu Rashtra and we rebuild the nation anew. The Prime Minister wants us to relive the horrors of partition to stoke communal passions.”
CPI general secretary D. Raja said the announcement is only for digging at the wounds that the country suffered. Mr Raja said, “Narendra Modi or the RSS have nothing to say on Independence struggle because they were never part if it. When Partition happened where was the RSS? It was Mahatma Gandhi who was trying to establish peace but he was killed. By who?”
