Emphasising that the tragedy of partition "cannot be misused to fuel hate and prejudice", Congress on Sunday alleged that the "real intent" of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to mark August 14 as Partition Horrors Remembrance Day is to use "traumatic events as fodder for his current political battles".
The Opposition party's comments came as Modi paid homage to "all those who lost their lives during Partition and applaud the resilience as well as grit of all those who suffered during that tragic period of our history" in a tweet on the occasion of Partition Horrors Remembrance Day.
Last year, Modi had announced that August 14 will be observed as Partition Horrors Remembrance Day in memory of the struggles and sacrifices of people. Several academicians and parties had then criticised the move.
Stepping up the attack, Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh said that the “modern day Savarkars and Jinnahs are continuing their efforts to divide the nation” but the Congress will uphold the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Vallabhai Patel and many others who were untiring in their efforts to unite the nation.
“The politics of hate will be defeated," he said. The “real intent" of the Prime Minister is to "use the most traumatic historical events as fodder for his current political battles. Lakhs upon lakhs were dislocated and lost their lives. Their sacrifices must not be forgotten or disrespected", he said in a series of tweets.
Noting that Hindutva ideologue V D Savarkar "originated the two nation theory and (Mohd Ali) Jinnah perfected it", Ramesh quoted Sardar Vallabhai Patel as saying that he felt that if we did not accept partition, India would be split into "many bits and would be completely ruined”.
Seeking to corner the Prime Minister, Ramesh also asked whether Modi would also recall that Jan Sangh founder Shyama Prasad Mookherjee, “who championed the Partition of Bengal against the wishes of Sarat Chandra Bose”, sat in free India's first Cabinet while the tragic consequences of Partition were becoming evident.
Congress Media Department Chairman Pawan Khera tweeted, "I come from a family that lost over a dozen members during partition. The Sangh-League duet created an atmosphere which led to the events that unfolded. The Prime Minister can do well by apologising for the misdeeds of his ideological forefathers."
In tweets, Home Minister Amit Shah "bowed to lakhs of people who suffered the brunt of Partition in 1947", as he described it as "an inhuman chapter of Indian history which can never be forgotten".
"The violence and hatred of partition claimed millions of lives and displaced innumerable people...This day will remind the young generation about the torture and pain suffered by people during partition and will continue to inspire countrymen to maintain peace and harmony in the country," he added.
Jairam was responding to the Prime Minister's tweet in which he said, "Today, on #PartitionHorrorsRemembranceDay, I pay homage to all those who lost their lives during Partition, and applaud the resilience as well as grit of all those who suffered during that tragic period of our history."