Congress demands apology from Amit Shah for remarks on Mahatma Gandhi

New Delhi, June 10 (IANS) The Congress on Saturday demanded an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Amit Shah for his remarks about Mahatma Gandhi being a "clever baniya".

"Amit Shah's remark about the Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi is an insult to him, it's an insult to the freedom struggle and the sacrifices of the freedom fighters. Has the entire struggle become a mere business? Was building the nation was a business?" asked Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala.

"Only Amit Shah, who does trade of power and BJP can give such indications. Would Mahatma Gandhi be now identified with his caste?" he questioned.

Surjewala said: "By associating Mahatma Gandhi with a business model, he has insulted the sacrifices that were made during the freedom struggle. The Britishers used Hindu Mahasabha and the Sangh as a special purpose vehicle for the partition of the country."

"After independence, they have become a vehicle to oppress Dalits, and the weaker sections. This is their real face and character," he added.

Slamming Shah, Surjewala said: "Identifying Gandhi with caste exposes the real face, character and mindest of Amit Shah."

"We demand that Amit Shah, BJP and Prime Minister Narendra should apologise to the people and the families of the freedom fighters of the country for insulting their struggle. Shah has indulged in a heinous crime and an anti-national act. There can't be a bigger crime than this," he said.

Shah, while addressing a group of people in Raipur, on Friday said: "The Congress is not a party based on one ideology or one principle, it is a special purpose vehicle to gain independence... this is why Mahatma Gandhi with foresight, he was a very clever baniya, he knew what was going to happen, he said immediately after independence that the Congress should be dissolved.

"He didn't do it, but some people are now completing the job of dissolving it. He had said this because the Congress had no ideology, was not formed based on a principle, and did not have any principle to run the country or government," Shah had said.