THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The special Assembly session on Mahatma Gandhi on Friday turned out to be a critique of Hindutva and the Central Government with speakers representing various parties in the ruling and opposition fronts coming heavily on the Sangh Parivar.
The lone BJP MLA O Rajagopal who remained silent on the criticism raised by other speakers called Gandhiji as a proponent of Hindutva and ‘Indianness.’
The criticism of Hindutva was triggered by none other than Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan who said that the country is witnessing a scene where some of those in power are shooting at the picture of Gandhiji. “A temple is being built for the murderer of Gandhiji. There are demands for providing Bharat Ratna to those who have involvement in the killing of Gandhiji,” said Mr Vijayan.
Photo of Sarvarkar who had begged for his release from Andaman jail after tendering apology to the Britishers is adorning the Central Hall of Parliament. “Savarker’s act happened when a great Malayali M.P. Narayana Menon refused to seek pardon from the Britishers despite an offer to release him from jail. His photo should have been adorning the Central Hall instead of those who have been charged of conspiracy in the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi,” said Mr Vijayan.
He also announced a 90-day awareness programme against drug abuse as part of the Vimukthi Project which will end on January 30, the death anniversary of Gandhiji.
Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala said that the Hindu right wing had tried to kill Gandhi four times before finally becoming successful. This intolerance towards Gandhiji started with the establishment of RSS in 1925, he said.
“A murderer didn’t kill Gandhi but an ideology. This ideology has got a temporary upper hand in Indian society. Gandhiji’s Rama was not an idol of any religion; it was the other name for truth. However, in the country where we have a prime minister who believed in the ideology propagated by the murderers of Gandhiji, people are being killed after chanting the name of Rama. This was to divide the mind of the nation,” said Mr Chennithala.
Speaker P Sreeramakrishnan announced a Gandhi Study Centre under the legislative secretariat as a tribute to Gandhi on the occasion of his 150th birth anniversary.
