BJP’S HEGDE HITS OUT AT MAHATMA
BENGALURU: BJP issued a show-cause notice to lawmaker Anantkumar Hegde after he called Mahatma Gandhi-led Indian freedom movement a “big drama”.
BENGALURU: Controversial Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lawmaker Anantkumar Hegde has provoked outrage by calling Mahatma Gandhi-led Indian freedom movement a “big drama”, with the Congress on Monday asking Prime Minister Narendra Modi to come to Parliament and clarify his position on the remarks.
Speaking at an event on Hindutva ideologue Vinayak Damodar Savarkar’s political relevance in Bengaluru on Saturday, Hegde said none of its “so-called leaders” were beaten by police and the entire independence movement was “staged with the consent and support of the British”. He said the Mahatma Gandhi-led movement “was not a genuine fight but an adjustment”.
Hegde, a former Union minister, also derided the Congress. “The people support the Congress saying that India got independence because of its fasts and satyagraha. This is not true. Britishers gave us independence out of frustration,” he said
Hegde referred to the anti-citizenship Amendment Act protesters as rats and claimed ~120 crore funding for the protests against the controversial law was just the tip of an iceberg. “...more rats will come out,’’ said Hegde. He added Savarakar’s ideology and methods remained relevant.
Later in the day, the BJP issued a show cause notice to Hegde and asked him to apologise for his comments, a BJP functionary familiar with the developments said.
The Congress, meanwhile, slammed Hegde’s remarks. “They are disparaging the national movement. If PM [Prime Minister] and the BJP government are sincere about the 150th birth anniversary celebrations of Mahatma Gandhi, we demand that PM come to Parliament and clarify his position,” said Congress leader Anand Sharma. “They [BJP] are desperate for elections and only to get some votes, they are inflicting deep wounds on India’s soul.” Sharma accused the BJP of practising politics of violence and polarisation.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, too, hit out at Hegde, saying the BJP lawmaker perhaps reflects the views of his masters. “If he is not , his comments should invite the strictest possible action from his party.”
Another Congress leader,
Abhishek Singhvi, tweeted: “Awaiting [PM] Narendra Modi who invokes Mahatma Gandhi at the drop of a hat especially when repackaging his ideas & to gain international credibility to comment on Mr Hegde who is a senior BJP Leader.”
Hegde, a five-time lawmaker from Karnataka’s Uttara Kannada, is known for his controversial statements. In May, he deleted a series of tweets in which he appeared to support freedom of expression of those wanting to have a debate on Gandhi’s assassin, Nathuram Godse.
In December, Hegde embarrassed the BJP by claiming the rushed swearing-in of Devendra Fadnavis as Maharashtra chief minister in November was a preplanned move to ensure that funds worth ~40,000 crore were returned to the Centre. Fadnavis immediately denied the claim.
Hegde was booked for hate speech in 2016 after he said that as long as Islam exists, terrorism will exist.
A BJP functionary, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the party does not approve of Hegde’s comments and the issue will be referred to a disciplinary committee. “Both the Prime Minister and the party leadership are extremely angry with such a proposition and some disciplinary action is likely,” he added.
“He lost his ministerial berth...” the functionary said when asked why has the party has failed to rein in Hegde.