BJP never played any role in India’s independence: Former Tripura CM

Former Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar on Monday slammed the ruling BJP for their 'Har Ghar Tiranga' campaign as they had no role during the freedom movement of India.

Agartala: Former Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar on Monday slammed the ruling BJP for their 'Har Ghar Tiranga' campaign as they had no role during the freedom movement of India.

While attending a blood donation camp organized by the Student Federation of India (SFI), Manik Sarkar, who is also a member of the CPI(M) Politburo, claimed that BJP was trying to re-write the history of India's independence in a new way.

"Today is a significant day. On 8th August 1942, the All India Congress Committee (AICC) was holding a conference in Bombay in which Mahatma Gandhi said that the British have to quit India and raised the slogan 'Do or Die'. Since then, Congress has raised its voice against the British. However, in the year 1921 in Goa, the CPI(M) demanded full freedom through a massive movement during a conference of Congress. Farmers, people, and student federations of CPI(M) worked and fought for freedom. However, BJP had no role," he said.

"Now, those who are ruling the country had no role in the freedom fight. They betrayed the people of India and helped the British. I know they have launched an event named 'Har Ghar Tiranga', but surprisingly, they didn't accept the national flag of India. Their leaders said this couldn't be the flag of India. As per the leader of the BJP or its wings, the national flag of India would be saffron," he said.

He further claimed that in the year 2000, the BJP and its wings first hoisted this national flag when they were in power in Centre. "Now, instead of saying 'national flag', they say it as 'Har Ghar Tiranga'. There must be a purpose behind this. They have understood that they have lost the ground and lost the faith of people and so they are now trying to re-write the history in a new way," he said.