BJP trying to disturb peaceful atmosphere with yatras: Congress

Karimnagar: Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) working president Ponnam Prabhakar criticised the BJP for using the name of Mahatma Gandhi and organising Maha Sankalp Yatra on 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, at a press meet at R&B Guest House in Karimnagar on Tuesday.

Reminding BJP MP Pragna Singh, who declared Nathuram Godse, the killer of Mahatma Gandhi, as a patriotic person, he questioned whether the BJP accepts Mahatma Gandhi as the father of the nation or not. If Godse is a nation lover, then who is Gandhi, who was killed by him? Prabhakar questioned.

Stating that BJP Karimnagar MP Bandi Sanjay Kumar launched Gandhi Sankalp Yatra here in the district, the Congress leader alleged that the party had launched the yatra only to get political mileage utilising the name of Mahatma Gandhi, which is not right. It is the BJP, which killed Mahatma Gandhi and using his name for their political mileage, he criticised. Nathuram Godse was Hindu Mahasabha activist and RSS activist, he pointed out.

The Hindu Mahasabha activist on number of occasions burnt the picture of Mahatma Gandhi in Uttar Pradesh, then how the BJP is taking up Maha Sankalp Yatra in the name of Mahatma Gandhi, Ponnam Prabhakar pointed out.

On number of occasions, BJP MP Sanjay Kumar announced that the BJP will drive away people belonging to Muslim and Christian communities and with Maha Sankalp Yatra what message he wants to give to people, Ponnam questioned.

If the MP, in the name of Yatra, tries to solve the issues pertaining in the rural areas taking Mahtama Gandhi as an inspiration, then the Congress do not have any objection. But by using Gandhi's name if the BJP encourages communalism and try it to spread it to rural areas, then the Congress will not tolerate it, TPCC working president Prabhakar warned.