Thaindian News

New Delhi, April 12 (IANS) A mention of the castes of freedom fighters Bhagat Singh and Rajguru in the Congress mouthpiece Sandesh Tuesday invited flak from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which sought an apology from the Congress.

The Congress hit back, saying the main opposition party had no right to raise questions about martyrs as none of its leaders had taken part in the freedom movement.

BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said that mention of caste of national heroes was an insult to them as they had sacrificed their lives rising above all narrow considerations.

“This is an insult to the nation’s heroes. The Congress should apologise or BJP workers will protest against this disgraceful and shameful act,” Naqvi said.

The March issue of Congress Sandesh, released Monday, describes Bhagat Singh as a freedom fighter “born in a Jat Sikh family” and Rajuguru as one “who belonged to the Deshastha Brahmin community”.

Congress leader Anil Shastri, who is editor of the Congress Sandesh, dismissed the BJP demand and said the magazine was meant for party workers and not for the opposition party.

“This is a party magazine meant for Congress workers. Whenever necessary, we give information to Congress workers. There is nothing wrong in giving information about martyrs. The Congress holds Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev in the highest esteem,” he said.

Shastri said there are references even in school books about Mahatma Gandhi having been born in a Baniya family.

“The BJP has no right to talk about freedom fighters. None of the BJP leaders is associated with the freedom movement,” he said.

Shastri accused the Sangh Parivar organisations of pursuing an agenda of divisiveness.

“What happened in Gujarat in 2002. It was a matter of shame that the chief minister (Narendra Modi) was denied visa by the US authorities for perceived human rights violations,” he said.

The back cover of the Congress Sandesh carries picture of a statue of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev to mark their 81st martyrdom day. The picture is accompanied by a small description of each of the three freedom fighters.

It says the three martyrs were hanged in Lahore Central Jail on March 23, 1931, in the evening.

“Bhagat Singh was a freedom fighter born to a Jat Sikh family in Lyallpur, Punjab, which had earlier been involved in revolutionary activities against the British Raj. He is often referred to as Shaheed Bhagat Singh.”

“Shivaram Hari Rajguru was an Indian revolutionary from Maharashtra and belonged to the Deshastha Brahmin community. Rajguru was born in a place named Khed near Pune.”

“Sukhdev Thapar was born in Ludhiyana, Punjab. He was a freedom fighter who was involved with Shaheed Bhagat Singh and Rajguru in the killing of a British police officer J P Saunders in 1928 in order to take revenge for the death of veteran leader Lala Lajpat Rai due to excessive police beating.”

The magazine says the bodies of the martyrs were secretly taken away by breaking the back walls of the jail and were secretly crematede on the banks of Satluj river at Hussainiwala, about 50 km from Lahore. The bodies were cut into pieces to make cremation quick, the magazine adds.