TMC demands PM Modi's apology for saying freedom fighter Matangini Hazra hailed from Assam
Kolkata, Aug 15: The Trinamool Congress on Sunday alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has scant knowledge of history and demanded an apology from him for incorrectly saying that freedom fighter from West Bengal, Matangini Hazra, hailed from Assam.
The BJP said that the TMC was unnecessarily creating a controversy over the gaffe made during the prime minister's Independence Day speech, and claimed that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had also made many faux pas in her speeches in the past.
West Bengal TMC general secretary Kunal Ghosh said that the prime minister has scant knowledge of history and merely read out a written text in a "dramatic style".
The TMC spokesperson tweeted, "@BJP4India Matangini Hazra from Assam? R u mad? U don't know history. U have no feelings. You just read a written speech (that also by others) with drama."
"This is insult to Bengal. You must beg apology. Hope Your LOP from East Midnapore will also condemn such a mistake," Ghosh added, while attaching a purported clipping of the speech.
The TMC leader sought a response from Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Assembly and Nandigram's BJP MLA Suvendu Adhikari, who had often referred to the contribution of Medinipur, from where Matangini Hazra hailed, to the freedom struggle.
The TMC tweeted on its official handle, "Matangini Hazra is a freedom fighter from Bengal, Mr. @narendramodi!"
"With such scant regard for our glorious history, you have insulted all of #Bengal once again. Is @BJP4India committed to erasing our history? Mocking it as they please? SHAME," the party said, attaching a purported video with the post.
Reacting to the controversy, state BJP chief Dilip Ghosh said, "It was a minor mistake on the prime minister's part and the TMC is deliberately highlighting it while trying to overlook other parts of his speech where he spoke about many projects initiated by the Centre."
BJP state vice-president Jay Prakash Majumdar said, "It was a slip of tongue. What about the series of gaffes made by the chief minister on our freedom fighters and history? Did she ever apologise for those blunders?"
Senior Congress leader Pradip Bhattacharya said, "It was a serious mistake by the PM showing his ignorance about Bengal's history and its contribution to the freedom struggle."
State Left Front chairman Biman Bose said, "Things like these happen if someone who has grown up with RSS teachings does not care to read or find out on his own and depends on the text prepared by his office without even checking."
Hazra (1869-1942), who lived in Tamluk in present-day Purba Medinipur district, was shot dead by the British Indian Police while she was leading a procession as part of the Quit India movement launched across the country by Mahatma Gandhi in 1942.
Her death triggered widespread condemnation and steeled Indians' resolve against the British colonialists, giving more impetus to the freedom struggle.
Hazra is a familiar figure across West Bengal and there is a statue of her in Maidan area in the heart of Kolkata. She is remembered while paying tributes to freedom fighters and both the TMC and the BJP had invoked her during the high-voltage campaign in Purba and Paschim Medinipur districts during the assembly elections this year.
.@BJP4India Matangini Hazra from Assam? R u mad? U don't know history. U have no feelings. You just read a written speech ( that also by others) with drama. This is insult to Bengal. You must beg apology. Hope Your LOP from East Midnapore will also condemn such a mistake. pic.twitter.com/azMV45GN7f
— Kunal Ghosh (@KunalGhoshAgain) August 15, 2021
Matangini Hazra is a freedom fighter from Bengal, Mr. @narendramodi!
— All India Trinamool Congress (@AITCofficial) August 15, 2021
With such scant regard for our glorious history, you have insulted all of #Bengal once again.
Is @BJP4India committed to erasing our history? Mocking it as they please?
SHAME. pic.twitter.com/jG5DctVHtA
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Nothing wrong if Kharge wants to come back to Karnataka politics: G Parameshwara
Bengaluru(PTI): Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Tuesday said there is nothing wrong if party national President Mallikarjun Kharge wants to return to state politics.
He was responding to a question from reporters on Kharge's remarks, recalling how he lost the Chief Minister's post to S M Krishna after the 1999 Karnataka Assembly polls. Kharge's remarks added to the speculations of leadership change in Congress and about his return to state politics.
Senior Congress leader Parameshwara also said that wrongly interpreting Kharge is also not correct.
Kharge's statement seems to have rekindled the debate on 'Dalit CM' within the party. The AICC President, who hails from Karnataka, belongs to a Scheduled Caste.
Making a Dalit the CM is a hotly debated matter within the Congress party, the issue on which senior leaders and Ministers Parameshwara and H C Mahadevappa have openly spoken in the past. Both belong to Scheduled Castes.
These comments have come amid speculations within the state's political circles, especially within the ruling Congress, for some time now about the Chief Minister change later this year, citing a rumoured power-sharing agreement involving incumbent Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM D K Shivakumar.
"Kharge is a senior leader not only in our party, but in national politics, making comments on him is not right. Kharge is competent to hold all kinds of positions; he has experience, and he has been in politics for about 50 years. If he says something, interpreting it wrongly is not correct," Parameshwara told reporters in response to a question.
Asked about some speaking about his return to state politics, he said, "There is nothing wrong in it. He is holding the decisive position in our party. He is the one who decides as to who should be the Chief Minister, being the AICC President. So, in case he wants to come back to state politics, no one should interpret it wrong."
Speaking at an event in Vijayapura on Sunday, Kharge had recalled about him missing the Chief Ministerial post, when Congress came to power in 1999.
"As CLP (Congress Legislature Party) leader I tried to bring the party to power (ahead of 1999 polls), the party formed the government and S M Krishna became the Chief Minister. He had come (as KPCC President) four months ahead (of polls)....all my service was washed down the river. I feel that -- I toiled for five years, but the person who came four months ago was made the CM," the Congress chief had said.
"What I'm trying to say is, we may face difficulties, but we must continue to work without greed in mind. If you are greedy, you won't get anything, also you won't be able to do what's in your mind. Passing through all these things, from being a block president, I have now become AICC President. I did not go behind positions," he further said.
Mahadevappa too, reacting to Kharge's statement on Monday had said, Kharge is one of the senior leaders in the country and he has all the required qualities to occupy any constitutional post, and our wish is that he should get an opportunity, whenever there is one.
Naming Dalit leaders in Congress who have occupied the CM post in other states like -- Damodaram Sanjivayya, Sushil Kumar Shinde, Jagannath Pahadia and Ram Sundar Das, he said, "When time comes the party will take a decision and everyone will abide by it."
However, trying to downplay speculations, Kharge's son and IT/BT Minister Priyank Kharge on Monday said his father was merely sharing the path he had walked in his political career -- both ups and downs -- and that his speech should be seen in entirety not selectively. He has also made it clear that he has no regrets.
"From the blessings of everyone, the people of Kalaburagi and Karnataka, he is in the post that was once occupied by Subhas Chandra Bose and Gandhiji. Whatever he has decided on his political future, he will decide himself. He has earned that respect and reputation. He has a good relationship with the high command. Whatever he decides, Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi will automatically accept it," he said.
