Worshipers of Gandhi's assassin growing, laments Siddaramaiah

Bengaluru: Leader of Opposition and former chief minister Siddaramaiah has said that there is an "increasing number of traitors worshiping the assassin of Mahatma Gandhi".

Speaking at the Martyrs' Day organized by the KPCC office as part of Mahatma Gandhi's memorial, he said, "We are celebrating the day of martyrdom, the day when Mahatma Gandhi was martyred. We pay tribute to the thousands of patriots who sacrificed their lives for freedom. Many of these martyrs remain anonymous. His selfless patriotism should be an ideal for all of us."

"Though Gandhiji was leading the independence movement as the Congress leader, he was a social reformer. Gandhiji was a great social reformer who embarked on the five principles of love, brotherhood, compassion, truth and non-violence," Siddaramaiah said in his speech.

He highlighted that Gandhi's life should be a lesson for everyone, as the apostle of peace did not only fight for the freedom of India but also untouchability and advocated the development of rural India. "He also fought for communal harmony until his last breath. He lost his life in this fight. His dream of maintaining communal harmony is still unfinished. There is an attempt to destroy Gandhiji's ideals one by one. He freed us from the British and now we have to fight another battle to achieve social freedom. We have to protest against the injustice, exploitation and humiliation which a common man goes through," the senior Congress leader said.

Siddaramaiah also flayed the Union government's crackdown on the protestors fighting against farm laws.

The former chief minister said that the crackdown was an insult to the memory of Mahatma Gandhi who won freedom through non-violent means.

Senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge remarked that the central government brought about 3 worst laws for farmers in the country.

He said that unlike BJP, the Congress lent loans and gave subsidies to the farmers.

"There is no photograph of Mahatma Gandhi in BJP's office. Hitler's ideas is in BJP's blood. In Congress Indira Gandhi died for opposing Khalistan. Rajiv Gandhi was martyred in Tamil Nadu. Youngsters should remember him," he added.

On the eve of Martyrs Day Twitter witnessed a trend eulogising Gandhi's assassin, Nathuram Godse.