The dropping of Jawaharlal Nehru from the list of freedom fighters in the State government’s media advertisement that appeared on August 14 came under sharp criticism from progressive writers and the Congress, which sought an apology from Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai.
The ruling BJP, however, defended it, stating that Nehru was dropped as he was responsible for Partition.
In an open letter to the Chief Minister, a host of progressive thinkers and writers said that dropping Nehru was shocking and showed that the BJP government in the State was working for RSS.
“This is the next step after attempting to tweak and twist history in textbooks and an attempt to erase Nehru from the pages of history. To not acknowledge Nehru’s contribution in the freedom struggle and as Prime Minister is an insult to history. The BJP government is struggling to peddle lies as history. Absence of Tipu Sultan in the list of freedom fighters from Karnataka smacks of the BJP’s pre-conceived notion,” they said.
Telling the Chief Minister that dropping Nehru from the list of freedom fighters displayed cheap politics, Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly Siddaramaiah said: “Is this the level of slavery to safeguard the chair? When we thought slavery ended with the British, Mr. Bommai proved everyone wrong by showing that he is still a slave to RSS. Mr. Bommai, why did you drop the name of RSS founder K. B. Hedgewar, who was imprisoned in 1921 and 1931? Because his opposition to tricolour flag would tumble out?”
Taking to Twitter, he said: “Mr. Bommai you should remember that Nehru took part in the freedom struggle and spent 9 years in jail. He was not a coward like your V.D. Savarkar to apologise and fall at the feet of Britishers to get out of jail. Savarkar gets position in the front row. But Baba Saheb who fought for freedom by being the voice of marginalised sections gets placed in the last row.” Only Savarkar’s name from the sangh in the list of freedom fighters also laid bare the Sangh’s contribution to freedom struggle, he added.
The former Chief Minister demanded an apology from Mr. Bommai for insulting Nehru by not including him among freedom fighters in the advertisement that had been issued from the taxpayers money.
KPCC president D.K. Shivakumar also demanded an apology from the Chief Minister and said that such petty politics would not bring honour to the Chief Minister’s chair. “You have made an unsuccessful attempt to tweak history,” he said.
Meanwhile, BJP spokesman N. Ravikumar, MLC, told reporters that Nehru’s name had been deliberately dropped by the government as he was responsible for the Partition. “Since the country is observing the dark days of Partition, Nehru was dropped deliberately.” Mr. Ravi Kumar also said that Tipu Sultan was not a freedom fighter and, in fact, he had sent Wadiyars of Mysuru, who were freedom fighters, to jail.
