NEW DELHI: Accusing
Congress
of ignoring Mahatma Gandhi,
PM Modi
has said the icon remained unknown to the world till the 1982 film ‘Gandhi’ was made, inviting swift retaliation from Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge who said “those whose ideological ancestors along with Nathuram Godse were involved in the assassination of Bapu can never follow the path of truth shown by him”.
Replying to a question on whether opposition didn’t do enough to promote India’s cultural heritage and pilgrimage sites when in office at the Centre, Modi said, “The question is not just about (that)… Gandhi was a tall personality… In the past 75 years, was it not our responsibility to let the world know about him? No one knew (of him).”
PM: Past govts didn’t conserve heritage due to slave mentality
When the film (‘Gandhi’) was made, it attracted global interest. We have not done this (the film was an India-UK co-production directed by Richard Attenborough). If the world knows Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela, Gandhiji was no less. This I am stating after my worldwide travels. We’ve to accept that Gandhi and, through him, India should have received its share of attention in the world. Gandhi is a solution to many of the global issues today, said PM Modi.
Countering the PM, Congress’s Jairam Ramesh said, “If there is someone who has destroyed the heritage of the Mahatma, it is the ‘caretaker PM’. It is his govt that has destroyed Gandhian institutions in Varanasi, Delhi and Ahmedabad. The 2024 elections are between a Mahatma follower and a Godse follower. The defeat of the ‘caretaker PM’ and his Godse-follower companions is evident.”
In a post on X, Kharge added, “Now lies are going to pack up and leave.” Rahul Gandhi too took a dig at Modi and said, “Only the student of ‘entire political science’ would need to watch a film to know about Mahatma Gandhi.”
In an interview to ABP News, Modi accused past govts of failing to conserve heritage because they viewed things from a “slave mentality” and also there were “compulsions of appeasement.” Modi cited the examples of Statue of Unity, Dandi and development of Panchteerth, five places associated with of Babasaheb Ambedkar, all developed under his govt and said, “We have to live and connect with our history. There is cultural heritage as well. Moreover, we have to brand our 500 years of struggle (of Ram Mandir) globally. When the court gave its judgment, there was absolute peace in the country. The credit of this peace goes to all. Should we not market it?”
Asking whether India should have not marketed and branded this legacy, he accused the opposition of being concerned with “vote bank politics.” Modi said the opposition’s pursuit of political shortcuts restricted them to the “politics of vote bank”. “That’s why they turned communal, casteist and dynastic,” he added.
“Earlier, during elections, they used to visit temples. Not any more. Not just that, no party functionaries are seen at Iftar parties now. Modi has ensured that none of your drama will be accepted. There is pressure on them to avoid programmes of fooling people. Otherwise, Iftar parties became the biggest political events. Everyone realised this drama won’t last long,” he said.
