Congress leader and Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Sunday alleged that the RSS and the BJP are distorting history and misleading the country, and said the youth should study history and think themselves. The RSS and the BJP had no contribution in India's freedom struggle and did not make any sacrifice, thus misleading the people, he charged.
"What rights do they have to mislead the youth? They only know how to distort history," he said in a virtual programme on the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. "They never accepted Mahatma Gandhi. Now their people are worshipping and installing statues of (Nathuram) Godse," he said, targeting the RSS-BJP.
Gehlot also countered the narrative that nothing had been done in the 70 years since Independence. "All the development that has taken place...was it done in only seven years?" he asked. "In this country of unity in diversity, some forces are misleading our youth. We should not allow these forces to be successful," he said.
Gehlot said that attempts were being made to distort history. "Amar Jawan Jyoti, which has been burning for 50 years, has been extinguished,” he said.
In a short ceremony on Friday afternoon, a part of the Amar Jawan Jyoti flame at the India Gate was taken and merged with the eternal flame at the National War Memorial (NWM) 400 metres away. He said that despite differences, Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Subhas Chandra Bose espouse the cause of freedom.
"There was mutual coordination among the heroes of the freedom movement for the purpose of freedom from the British rule. Bose joined the freedom struggle after taking inspiration from Mahatma Gandhi. Like Gandhi and Nehru, his aim was also the independence of the country,” he said. Gehlot also said that the relationship between Nehru and Bose was strong.
He said, "The political fight should be of ideology but it was unfortunate that even after 75 years of independence, politics was being done on the basis of caste and religion." The chief minister said that the youth should study history, think themselves and take inspiration from the traditions of the country. There should be an environment of peace, harmony, and brotherhood in the country. "Only then the country will prosper," he said. He said that Bose instilled a new spirit in the youth and showed his courage by raising the Azad Hind Fauj on foreign soil.
With PTI Inputs
