Apologise for insulting the Mahatma: Congress to Shah

Unapologetic, says everyone knows context of his comment

Congress on Saturday came down heavily on BJP President Amit Shah for calling Mahatma Gandhi a “bahut chatur Baniya” (very clever Baniya – a trading caste) during his speech at a meeting in Raipur on Friday,

Demanding an apology from him and Prime Minister Modi for “insulting” the Father of the Nation, Congress’ chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said, “Rather than fighting casteism and communalism, it is unfortunate that he (Shah) identified even the Mahatma with his caste. It only shows the character and ideology of the ruling party. We are shaken by the thought of where will these BJP people take the country?”

He said Shah and Modi must apologise to the nation, families of freedom fighters and every citizen as there cannot be a bigger insult, greater crime than the act of “'deshdrom” (sedition) by the BJP president.

West Bengal Chief Minister chief Mamata Banerjee also criticised Shah for his comment on Mahatma Gandhi. Congress retweeted Banerjee’s tweet “when we, in public life, speak about icons of our nation and the world, we must always show utmost respect and sensitivity with language.”

In Mumbai, state Congress unit leaders condemned the objectionable statement made by Shah. They said the BJP president has spoken like Pakistani leaders who constantly criticised Mahatma Gandhi.

“By using such filthy language against Mahatma Gandhi, Shah has insulted all freedom fighters who have laid down their lives for India’s freedom. In fact, he has insulted the entire country. He should tender an unconditional apology immediately to the citizens,” said Ashok Chavan, President of MPCC.

Chavan further said, “Pakistani leaders similarly criticise Mahatma Gandhi. Today, BJP is speaking Pakistan’s language. By mentioning the caste of Mahatma, BJP has exposed its caste politics.”

AICC also decried Shah for identifying Gandhi by his caste, tweeting that “Bapu stood tall, transcending caste, creed, region, race, religion & bigotry.” The office Rahul Gandhi tweeted a quote by the Mahatma: “It’s always been a mystery to me how people can respect themselves when they humiliate other humans... The enemy is fear. We think it is hate; but it is rather fear.”

On Shah’s remarks that the Congress was merely a “special purpose vehicle” (SPV) to secure freedom and should have been dissolved after Independence as desired by Gandhi, Surjewala said: “Certainly, the British used RSS and Hindu Mahasabha as a special purpose vehicle (SPV) for Partition and today BJP is acting as a SPV for few corporates, taking care of their business interests.

“Shah is himself a trader of power, and so he sees our freedom movement and Mahatma Gandhi’s contribution as a business model,” he said.

Surjewala took offence to Shah’s dubbing of Congress as “a party started by a Briton as an association,” saying it was “an insult to freedom fighters, their sacrifices and also to Mahatma Gandhi.”

On its Twitter handle, Congress put Mahatma Gandhi’s favourite quotes to enlighten Shah: “First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win,” and “when I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love has always won. There have been tyrants and murderers and for a time they seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall... think of it, always.”

To Shah’s remarks that BJP was always clear in its approach, a Congress tweet said “he was speaking the truth as when Mahatma Gandhi launched the Salt Satyagraha in 1930, K Hedgewar sent information everywhere that the Sangh will not participate in it.”