Samikhsya Bureau
Twitter handles of Congress functionaries have shared a letter reportedly signed by more than 200 Delhi University teachers berating Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his disparaging comments on his predecessor Rajiv Gandhi
The Delhi University (DU) teachers have in a public statement reacted to the PM targeting Congress president Rahul Gandhi on the Rafale issue during a rally at Pratapgarh, Uttar Pradesh on Saturday that “your father was termed ‘Mr Clean’ by his courtiers, but his life ended as ‘Bhrashtachari No 1’ (corrupt number 1).” Deriding Mr Modi’s remarks as “derogatory and untrue”, the letter said “Narendra Modi has lowered the dignity of the office of the prime minister by making derogatory and untrue remarks about the late Rajivji, who made the supreme sacrifice in the service of the nation,” the statement issued on Monday night and signed by 207 teachers said. The signed statement “condemning the recent public utterances” by the Prime Minister was retweeted by Sam Pitroda of the Indian Overseas Congress and other Congressmen.
It said “history records the deeds of the good and the noble but rarely does it pay attention to the carping of lesser individuals. The achievements of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi are known to all. The nations acknowledges this in so many ways.” No prime minister had ever “stooped” to this level through such actions as had Mr Modi, it said. “When India beat back the invaders from Kargil, our soldiers shouted slogans praising Rajiv Gandhi for the Bofor’s gun even though Rajivji was martyred a decade ago,” the statement said and listed some of the late leader’s achievements.
“If our IT companies earn, each year, billions of dollars in foreign revenue it is because of the farsighted wisdom of Rajivji. If India is connected as a nation through the advances in the telecom sector it is because of the policies and actions of Rajivji,” it said. According to the statement, if train travel is so much more convenient today it is because of the late leader’s acumen in computerising rail reservation.
Blaming the PM for lowering “the dignity of the office of the Prime Minister” by his untrue comments about the late leader who had made the supreme sacrifice in the service of the nation, it said “no former PM has ever stooped to this level through such actions as Shri Modi.”
