India News | Modi Wants to 'delete History', Alleges TMC MP Sougata Roy

New Delhi, Feb 2 (PTI) Trinamool Congress leader Sougata Roy on Wednesday claimed Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants to "delete history" and that he was attacking secularism and federalism.

Speaking on the motion of thanks to the President's address, Roy criticised the prime minister over several issues, including the merging of 'Amar Jawan Jyoti' at India Gate with the National War Memorial, and West Bengal's tableau not being included in the Republic Day Parade.

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"There was nothing new in the presidential address. But there are many things that are not mentioned in the president's speech which I want to. Why was the Amar Jawan Jyoti at India gate extinguished? Was it because it was initiated by Indira Gandhi? Mr Modi wants to delete history," the TMC leader said.

"Why was West Bengal's, Netaji's tableau cancelled on the Republic Day parade," he asked.

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Noting that the Modi government had set up a hologram till a granite statue is built at India Gate for Netaji, Roy claimed the hologram has "vanished from India Gate and with that BJP's love for Netaji has vanished".

The prime minister is "hitting out" at two of the basic principles -- one secularism and the other is federalism, Roy said.

Some of Roy's remarks on leaders were expunged.

He also attacked Home Minister Amit Shah for abrogating Article 370 and said militant activity was continuing. He questioned why Farooq Abdullah was jailed in the aftermath of the abrogation of Article 370.

Roy also slammed the government over the Central Vista project and termed it a "wastage of money".

Noting that a Supreme Court committee was looking into the Pegasus spyware issue, the TMC leader said the opposition could have stalled House over the matter.

"We did not do it and allowed debate. But this does not mean we cannot raise Pegasus, we can raise it when we want to," he said and accused the government of "murdering democracy" and indulging in spying.

Earlier, DMK leader T R Baalu raised the issue of the Tamil Nadu governor delaying a bill related to the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test.

A Bill adopted by the Tamil Nadu Assembly to exempt the state from the test is pending with the governor for his consideration.

NCP member Amol Kolhe, addressing the House, said it appeared that in this 'Amrit Kaal', the youth have been taken off the path of development and "fed the poison of communalism, joblessness and hate speeches".

"It is the responsibility, not only of the government but every one of us to revive them by giving the nectar of the idea of India," said Kolhe, who represents Shirur in the Lok Sabha.

Referring to Skill India, he said the success of any mission is gauged by the achievement of its ultimate aim.

"The ultimate aim of Skill India is the creation of employment. This government had promised two crore jobs every year but data suggests that five crore people are jobless at present. Besides start-up, we need to strengthen MGNREGA and consider starting an urban version of MGNREGA," he said.

Kolhe also voiced concern over the state of the media, which forms an important pillar of democracy.

"In 2014, the prime minister had said 'democracy will not sustain if we can't guarantee freedom of speech and expression'. But, the reality is that on the World Press Freedom Index, India ranks 142nd among 180 nations. In 2020, as many as 67 journalists were arrested and 200 attacked," the NCP member said.

"I am proud of my religion as everyone should be. But when religious pride is transformed into a religious frenzy, then it is certainly harmful to the nation's unity and humanity," Kolhe said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)