Lucknow, Dec 25 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday claimed that there were attempts to erase the contributions of national icons like Babasaheb Ambedkar and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, after Independence, and it was the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government which prioritised restoration of their enduring legacy and also ensured that they “got their rightful due”.
Hitting out at the politics of ‘parivarvad and culture of "linking" every good work with a particular family, apparently the Gandhis, the Prime Minister said that the BJP was committed to acknowledging and honouring the contribution of every son of Mother India.
The sharp criticism of dynastic politics by PM Modi came after he inaugurated the Rashtriya Prerna Sthal in Lucknow, a landmark national memorial and complex dedicated to celebrating the life and ideals of Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee and Pt. Deendayal Upadhyay.
PM Modi said that after India attained Independence, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s resolve in unifying the nation by bringing together small provinces was praiseworthy, but then there was an attempt to diminish and demean his contributions.
“It is the BJP government which gave Sardar Patel the respect he deserved. The BJP government built the tallest statue of Sardar Patel, erected in Ekta Nagar. Now, every year, National Unity Day is celebrated on 31st October, ” PM Modi said.
He further stated that the tribal community remained deprived of the respect that it deserves for decades, and again, it was the BJP, which stood for them and went to build a grand memorial for Lord Birsa Munda.
“Recently, the construction of the Shaheed Narayan Singh Tribal Museum was completed in Chhattisgarh. In Uttar Pradesh, the memorial of Maharaja Suheldev was built under the BJP government. It is only now that the meeting place of Nishadraj and Lord Shri Ram has received the honour and respect it deserves, ” PM Modi pointed out.
The Prime Minister said that the politics of ‘parivarvad’ survives on a unique trait -- by removing the contribution of others and extolling one’s own.
He went to count upon the efforts undertaken by the BJP governments to restore the legacy of historical figures, including Babasaheb Ambedkar and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.
“Today, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s statue is installed at Delhi’s Kartavya Path. Andaman, the island where Netaji hoisted the flag, has been named after him, ” PM Modi mentioned.
Slamming the Congress and Samajwadi Party, without taking names, PM Modi said there were attempts to weaken and undermine the contributions of Dr BR Ambedkar, but the BJP ensured that Babasaheb’s legacy was not only upheld but also celebrated.