The Congress has not invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to an international conference it is organising to mark the 125th birth anniversary of Jawaharlal Nehru, joining the battle with Modi, who it accuses of trying to appropriate freedom movement leaders.
The two-day event to highlight the legacy and worldview of the first Prime Minister is being organised on November 17 and 18 and will be attended by a host of international leaders and representatives of various political parties from India and abroad.“We have not given any invitation to the Prime Minister. We have invited all those who truly believe in democracy and the ideals of Nehru,” Congress spokesperson Anand Sharma said replying to a volley of media questions about whether it has invited Modi and why not.
Interestingly, the party has put out the eulogising remarks about Nehru made by BJP’s first Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on the website specially launched for the event on Tuesday.“Have we not acknowledged Atal Bihari Vajpayee. We are acknowledging all those who have said something meaningful. As a political party, we have our freedom to decide who subscribes to Nehru’s views,” he said.
Sources said the Congress will not invite any leader of BJP and its allies for the event.The party has accused Modi of trying to appropriate leaders of the freedom movement like Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and Nehru by launching special schemes and diverting attention from their legacy.
Sharma said the conference will discuss Nehru’s views on democracy, inclusion and empowerment in India and for the representative global order. It will provide a platform to reflect on Nehru’s legacy in the context of contemporary global challenges.