Modi Govt discontinues stamps of Rajiv, Indira Gandhi; Cong flays Centre

New Delhi, Sep 15: This will further increase the animosity between Modi led BJP and Sonia Gandhi led Congress angry. Already peeved with BJP's recent decisions, Congress will definitely step up the ante on Modi government over this move.

Centre has decided to discontinue stamps on the names of former Prime Ministers, Rajiv and Indira Gandhi. The decision has been taken under the new definitive theme which means stamps for regular services.

The incumbent government has replaced Builders of Modern India theme, which included stamps of Indira and Rajiv Gandhi, with Makers of India theme. However, stamps of Jawaharlal Nehru, Mahatma Gandhi, B R Ambedkar and Mother Teresa have been retained.

Eminent BJP personalities in the list

The new definitive theme, which means stamps for regular services, brings in host of eminent personalities like Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, Deen Dayal Upadhyay, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Shivaji, Maulana Azad, Bhagat Singh, Jayaprakash Narayan, Ram Manohar Lohia, Vivekananda and Maharana Pratap.

Earlier, commemorative stamps, which are limited in numbers, of most of these personalities were issued and some were also made available for regular use.
"It is a routine process. Addition and subtraction of stamps is done based on the theme," an official spokesperson told PTI.

Stamps of Homi J Bhabha, JRD Tata, C V Raman, Satyajit Ray have also been discontinued under the new theme. "The stamps of the new theme are under print and expected to be available across post offices within a month.

The stock of old theme is still available and will be there under it gets exhausted," a government official said. Stamps of Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Rajendra Prasad, Srinivasa Ramanujan, Rabindranath Tagore, Subramania Bharati, Bhimsen Joshi, M S Subbulakshmi and Bismillah Khan will also be made available for regular use.

Congress flays Centre
Meanwhile, Congress reacted sharply to the central government's decision to discontinue postal stamps issued in memory of former Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, and asked "how low can the Modi government stoop". "This depicts that hatred of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government in seeking personal vendetta which has reached its zenith," Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said. "What is most reprehensible is the fact as to how low can Modi government stoop in its sinister attempt to erase the memory of the two martyr Prime Ministers of the country," he said in a statement.

OneIndia News
(With inputs from PTI)