State Congress president Nana Patole on Sunday said the condition of the country under PM Narendra Modi’s government was “not better than it was during the British Raj”.
Patole launched a fortnight-long campaign of the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee “Virth Na Ho Sacrifice (Sacrifice should not go in vain)” to commemorate 75 years of India’s independence, saying that the present central government is “to fill the treasury”. for exploiting the citizens of the country.” of some businessmen”, adding that “those who are raising their voice against the situation are being targeted and punished, as the British government did with the freedom fighters.”
The event, held at Pune’s Kesari Wada, the premises from where Bal Gangadhar Tilak ran his daily Kesari, was attended by senior city Congress leaders, including Vishwajeet Kadam, Abhay Chhajed, Mohan Joshi and Ramesh Iyer.
Patole also criticized Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari for “taking a political stand” and “criticizing national leaders like him”. Jawahar Lal Nehru”
“Nehru is the builder of modern India. Governor Koshyari said that Nehru was responsible for destroying India. Congress condemned the Governor’s statement, his post is a position which should not take political sides. However, Koshyari has converted the Raj Bhavan into a BJP office,” said Patole.
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“During the freedom struggle, Congress leaders fought against the suppression of the British. Today the time has come to fight against the suppression of Modi government. Right to freedom of expression is being curtailed under BJP rule. Any media house exposing the misdeeds of the government is being targeted. The latest target was Dainik Bhaskar. The government is trying to break the Constitution,” said Patole.
As part of its “Varth Na Ho Sacrifice” campaign, the Congress will put up hoardings across the city displaying images of the Non-Cooperation Movement, the Civil Disobedience Movement and the Quit India Movement. The hoardings will also include photographs of Mahatma Gandhi, who was lodged in Yerwada jail during the Quit India Movement, as well as Tilak’s famous “Swaraj is my birthright” speech.
‘I am a fanatic like the faction in the pre-independence Congress’
Patole said that many politicians including some of his own party leaders see him as someone who takes a tough stand on issues and gives strong statements. He said that in the pre-independence Congress party, there were two groups of leaders – the “Maval faction” (liberals), with leaders such as Gandhi, Gopal Krishna Gokhale and Gopal Ganesh Agarkar, and the “Jahal faction” with Tilak and Lala. Lajpat Rai.
“I belong to the latter group. I am a fundamentalist, and I believe that the fight we face today will require both moderates and radicals,” Patole said.
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