Traitors who supported British now lecturing on patriotism: Shivakumar

Taking a veiled dig at the BJP, Karnataka deputy chief minister and state Congress chief D.K. Shivakumar on Thursday, 15 August, said the traitors who had joined hands with the British during the freedom struggle are today lecturing others about patriotism.

Speaking at the 78th Independence Day celebration at the state Congress office in Bengaluru, he said, “We need to protect the country from these wolves in sheep’s clothing. It is important that we need to educate the younger generation about Congress’s role in the freedom struggle. More than 6.5 lakh Congressmen sacrificed their lives during the freedom struggle. Today’s Congressmen must be proud of their legacy.

“Shyama Prasad Mukherjee (Bharatiya Jana Sangh founder) had written a letter to the British to suppress the Quit India Movement. His followers are today questioning Congress’s contribution to the nation. It was the Congress which built the national assets which the BJP is selling today. What is BJP’s contribution to the country? They are the ones who joined hands with the British,” he said.

Alleging that narratives are being peddled that Nehru and others did not contribute anything to the independence struggle, Shivakumar said, "It is important that we fight this and unite the country.

“It was the Congressmen who sacrificed so much for the nation. But the people who were subservient to the British then are today wearing the patriotic mask and destroying the country," he said.

The 1837 Amara Sullia Rebellion in Karnataka was the first freedom struggle in the country, the DCM said, adding that many leaders from Karnataka had contributed to the freedom struggle.

The government has formed a committee to chalk out the modalities to celebrate the 100-year anniversary of the Belagavi session of the Indian National Congress held in 1924, which was the only Congress session presided over by Mahatma Gandhi, he said.

"Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has rightly said that real freedom is achieved when people get freedom from hunger, poverty, shackles, darkness and unemployment," Shivakumar further said, adding that the Congress government's five guarantees have become a case study for many countries around the world for its unique way of providing social justice."