Secular ideals of Indira Gandhi more relevant today: TMC

Kolkata, Nov 19: Days after party supremo Mamata Banerjee hailed Jawaharlal Nehru's ideals of secularism, TMC leaders today lauded Indira Gandhi's nationalist ideology and said her secular ideals are more relevant now.

"The secular ideals of Indira Gandhi are more important in present day India when communalism is spreading its wings in the country. Indira Gandhi used to treat the minority community as her own children," State Panchayat Minister and senior TMC leader Subrata Mukherjee said. Mukherjee, during his days as Youth Congress leader has worked with Indira Gandhi in the 1970s.

"She used to say that if one of my sons is weak then I need to take more care of that son. And if for taking care of that son who is weak, if someone is angry with me, I am not bothered. This was her thinking about the minorities," he said addressing the 97th birth anniversary celebrations of Indira Gandhi organised by Kolkata Municipal Corporation. Mukherjee's comments come days after Banerjee attended Jawaharlal Nehru's 125th birth anniversary celebrations organised by Congress.

PTI