Dropped Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru portrait from ad as he 'caused' Partition, says Karnataka BJP

BENGALURU: The row over Pt Jawaharlal Nehru not featuring in the Karnataka government's ad highlighting the pantheon of freedom fighters escalated on Monday after BJP declared the omission was "intentional" because India's first PM effectively "caused Partition". "Mahatma Gandhi had advised that Congress be dissolved after the country attained Independence. But Nehru did not listen to Gandhiji," state BJP general secretary and MLC N Ravikumar said, claiming this led to Partition. "His portrait was, therefore, intentionally left out of the ad."
Ravikumar went on to accuse Congress of glorifying 'anti-Hindu' Tipu Sultan by putting up a poster at Bengaluru's Hudson Circle last week that was later targeted by vandals. As the controversy raged, CM Basavaraj Bommai acknowledged Nehru's contribution to the freedom movement during his Independence Day address.
Bommai accuses Congress of 'insulting' Ambedkar
Innumerable people made sacrifices and laid down their lives in the struggle for freedom," he said. "The contributions of great personalities like Mahatma Gandhi, Subhas Chandra Bose, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Bhagat Singh, Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad, Jawaharlal Nehru and many others are etched in history."
Bommai slammed Congress later for "making a hue and cry" over a state government ad. "For 65 years, you ran the country in Nehru's name," the CM said at Kanteerava Indoor Stadium. "We have not forgotten Nehru or his work. We have great respect for him. His photo is there in the ad (as part of a sketch)."
Seeking to turn the tables on the opposition, Bommai accused Congress of heaping insults on BR Ambedkar. "Why was Ambedkar not given his due share of respect? Congress did not even allow him to enter Parliament. When he died, then government did not provide a final resting place. Work on memorials to Ambedkar remained unfinished."
Sources said the debate over the portrait could stretch into the 2023 assembly polls, with both BJP and Congress latching on to a potential political hot potato that could divert attention from faultlines within their organisations. "The issue has provided Congress with a unifying ground," said Sandeep Shastri, political analyst. "BJP on its part needs to fall back on Modi's statement of 'Sab Ka Saath, Sab Ka Vikas aur Sab Ka Vishwas' by bringing inclusivity and not preaching exclusivity."
BJP leader Ravikumar's comments come in the wake of opposition leader Siddaramaiah demanding an apology from Bommai for "insulting" Nehru. Ravikumar said, "Was Savarkar not incarcerated? He suffered a bigger punishment than Nehru by being jailed in Kala Pani in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, as opposed to Nehru, who was jailed but received home-cooked meals. How can you remember one and forget the other?"