PM Narendra Modi takes dig at Robert Vadra

Jammu/New Delhi: Having faced the Congress’ ire for “usurping” some of its iconic leaders like Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel by commissioning the world’s tallest statue of India’s first home minister, and later bestowing the Bharat Ratna on Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday deprecated “untouchability” in politics while commemorating the birth centenary of veteran J&K Congress leader Girdhari Lal Dogra, who was also the father-in-law of Union finance minister Arun Jaitley.

Mr Modi said at the function in Jammu that in public life it did not matter so much what party one was connected with, what ideology one espoused and under whose leadership one worked. “Let us not divide our legacy. Everybody in public life works with some ideology in his lifetime, but he lives and dies for the country," he said.

The PM also chose the occasion to criticise “dynastic politics” by citing the example of Dogra, who did not bring his family into public life despite being such a tall leader for such a long time.

Mr Modi also highlighted that Jaitley was not well-known because of his father-in-law, neither was Mr Dogra known because of his son-in-law. “Otherwise, in such a long time, Arunji must have thought about it sometime. But both decided their destinies themselves.”

Mr Modi also appeared to poke fun at the Congress by making a veiled reference to Sonia Gandhi’s son-in-law Robert Vadra, who is embroiled in controversies over land deals.

“Today, we all know what all is talked about sons-in-law,” the Prime Minister said.

“Political untouchability does not work. There is a need to have the same respect for anyone who has worked for the nation. Had Dograji been alive, he would have opposed us, he would have opposed even his son-in-law. But we should get inspiration from his life,” he said.