Shabbir Ali slams Modi for skipping Indira Gandhi's memorial event

Deputy CLP leader in Telangana Legislative Council Mohammed Ali Shabbir strongly condemned Prime Minister Narendra Modi for skipping the memorial event held on the occasion of death anniversary of late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on October 31.

Addressing a press conference at the Congress Legislature Party office here on Saturday, Shabbir Ali said that by not participating in the memorial event of Indira Gandhi, Modi has set a wrong precedent and brought disrepute to the office of Prime Minister. Besides being one of the longest serving Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi was also conferred the Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian award.

"Indira Gandhi lived and died for the country. She led India to victory in war against Pakistan in 1971, took first step to make India a nuclear power by conducting tests in Pokhran in 1974 and initiated the war against poverty with her resolve of 'Gharibi Hatao'. She was a visionary leader and her contribution for the country could not be described in words," Shabbir Ali said. However, by staying away from the memorial event, Narendra Modi has stooped down to the lowest level of politics.

Shabbir Ali also expressed wonder over Modi's display of love towards Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, a senior Congress leader. Stating that celebration of Sardar Patel's birth anniversary at a massive scale was a welcome move, he asked Modi to also follow the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel. While Mahatma Gandhi's life was dedicated to secularism, Sardar Patel had extreme dislike for the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and even banned it in 1948 after its members assassinated Mahatma Gandhi. "If Modi really loves Sardar Patel and wishes to follow his ideals, then he should immediately ban the RSS," he demanded.

Referring to Modi's attempt to rake up the issue of anti-Sikhs riots of 1984, the Congress leader said that the Congress party, including the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, had expressed regret and even apologised for riots. However, Modi never spoke about the genocide of Muslims in 2002. Despite being the Chief Minister of Gujarat, Modi not only failed to prevent the riots, but still facing charges of engineering the riots or supporting the rioters. He said Modi should also apologise for the post-Godhra riots of 2002.