BJP-Cong workers spar over Tharoor's Bhagat Singh remarks

Vadodara, March 23: BJP and Congress workers were today engaged in a verbal duel here on the martyrdom day of freedom fighter Bhagat Singh after a BJP leader took objection to the recent remarks of Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, comparing JNU student leader Kanhaiya Kumar with Bhagat Singh.

BJP MP Ranjan Bhatt, mayor Bharat Dangar, city MLAs and party workers along with Congress leaders and workers gathered at the statue of Bhagat Singh in Nyaymandi area to pay tribute to the martyr. Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru were executed on this day in 1931, a few hours ahead of schedule, after the trio was sentenced to death by the British in the Lahore conspiracy case.

Tharoor had on Monday stirred a controversy after he compared JNU students' union president Kanhaiya Kumar, who is facing sedition charges with freedom fighter Bhagat Singh, while addressing students on the JNU campus.

After BJP leaders garlanded Bhagat Singh's statue, former mayor M V Patel attacked Congress and asked, "How can Tharoor compare Kanhaiya Kumar, one who is facing sedition charges, with a freedom fighter like Bhagat Singh?" Congress leader Shailesh Amin, who was present at the spot along with other workers, then interrupted Patel and said, "Who are you to say this? You were working in a private liquor firm...how can you talk like this? This is a day where both the parties have gathered to pay tribute to the martyrs...don't create any political issue here."

Later, Amin alleged some Bhartiya Janta Yuva Morcha workers pushed him. He said they then started raising slogans, "Bharat Mata ki Jai" to which Congress workers chanted "Inquilab Zindabaad".

PTI