The Rajya Sabha on Wednesday unanimously passed a resolution pledging to build a secular and democratic country with the ruling BJP maintaining there should be no place in the nation for violence in the name of politics, religion and terrorism. The Opposition said the need of the hour was to have a tolerant country and an inclusive society ensuring security for all and not a “Hindu Pakistan.”
While the BJP led by leader of House Arun Jaitley stressed the need for avoiding violence in the name of politics and religion, having a just Government to mitigate the problems of common man poverty and probity in public life, leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad called for introspection and having clean thought process free of bias while participating a discussion to observe 75th anniversary of Quit India movement call by Mahatma Gandhi.
Azad also took a dig at Swach Bharat campaign and said cleaning of drains will not serve the purpose while the biggest enemy in the country at present is the thought process. Referring to Quit India call in 1942, he said Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru maintained that Hindus and Muslims together can only secure freedom from British rule and no communal incidents took place when the two leaders were jailed after the Quit India call.
The Congress leader also referred to political developments during Rajya Sabha polls in Gujarat on Tuesday and said “I don’t want to mention the incidents of the last night. It looked like the same night (August 8/9, 1942) because the developments kept us awake till morning,” the Congress leader said.
“I don’t want to bring politics because today it’s a different occasion. But yesterday’s night and day were the same,” Azad said equating it to the events of 1942.
Flagging the trend of intolerance in the country in the recent months, Sitaram Yechury(CPM) said common heritage and unity is the strength of the country and secular character of the country has to be upheld. Questioning the policies of the NDA Government in fighting communalism, he then warned against creating a “Hindu Pakistan.” Incidentally, Yechury’s term in the Upper House ends with this session.
Samajwadi Party member Ram Gopal Yadav talked about contribution of socialist leaders like Ram Manohar lohia and Jai Prakasah Narayan. Sharad Yadav(JD-U) stressed that one should learn from history.
Sukhendu Sekhar Roy (Trinamool Congress) said there were some traitors during the freedom struggle who sided with the British and said even now there were some elements who threaten “our brotherhood.” He also said Trinamool Congress leader and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will launch ‘BJP Bharat chhodo andolan’ (BJP Quit India movement) from Wednesday.
At this juncture, Deputy Chairman P J Kurien said politics should not be brought into this discussion and law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad concurred with him. Congress leader Anand Sharma, however, said that if something is a fact of history it must remain in record.
Prasanna Acharya (BJD), Veer Singh (BSP), Majeed Memon (NCP), Kanimozi (DMK), D Rasja(CPI)
Sanjay Raut (Shiv Sena), Naresh Gujral (SAD), Union minister Ramdas Athawale and Rajani Patil (Congress) and A V Swamy also spoke.