Senior Congress leader KC Venugopal on Wednesday came down heavily on the BJP over Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Quit India' barb at the Opposition bloc — Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (I.N.D.I.A) — claiming that the political forbears of the present-day BJP leaders did not take part in the country's freedom struggle and had, in fact, worked against it.
Speaking to ANI on Wednesday, the Congress leader the present government under PM Modi reminds him of the 'Quit India Movement' of 1942.
"Did the BJP or their political ancestors have anything to do with the Quit India Movement? They took no part in India's struggle for independence. The BJP was dead against the freedom movement.
Hence, there's no reason why the BJP should speak about Quit India. It was a historic day," Venugopal said.
Claiming further that the Centre's stance vis-a-vis the Manipur situation reminds him of the 'Quit India' call by Mahatma Gandhi, the Congress leader said, "We have been asking for a debate (on Manipur) in Parliament in the presence of PM Modi. However, the PM did not care to visit the Parliament even once. He has also not spoken much about the Manipur situation. The conduct of this government does remind us of Quit India movement," Mr Venugopal added.
Earlier, on Wednesday, BJP MPs held a demonstration on the Parliament premises to mark the anniversary of the Quit India Movement.
They raised slogans and held up posters with the slogan — 'Corruption Quit India, Dynasty Quit India and Appeasement Quit India'.
Launching a scathing attack on the fledgeling Opposition bloc on the 81st anniversary of the Quit India Movement on Wednesday, PM Modi called for a "corruption and dynasty-free India".
In a tweet on the anniversary of the historic movement, the PM wrote, "Tributes to the greats who took part in the Quit India Movement. Under the leadership of Gandhi Ji, this movement played a major role in freeing India from colonial rule."
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
