Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], August 24 : Congress MLA and AICC spokesperson Kuldeep Singh Rathore on Monday accused the BJP-led Centre of diverting public attention from pressing issues such as inflation, unemployment and paper leaks by creating a controversy over Vande Mataram and the national anthem.
Speaking to reporters and later to ANI, Rathore alleged that the BJP and the Union government were deliberately creating disputes over national symbols instead of addressing the country's fundamental problems.
"Inflation is continuously rising, and there is anger among the youth across the country. Recruitment examinations are repeatedly being cancelled or facing paper leaks, while adequate employment opportunities are not being created. Instead of addressing these issues, you have created an issue around the national song and national anthem and are trying to create an atmosphere of conflict in the country," Rathore said.
He questioned the need to raise a controversy over the singing of Vande Mataram, arguing that there had been an established tradition of singing its first two stanzas.
Rathore said the practice was linked to a 1934 resolution of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), adopted during the freedom movement, and said it was based on suggestions associated with Rabindranath Tagore.
"The national song has traditionally been sung in two stanzas. There is no problem with this practice, so why has this issue suddenly been raised?" he asked.
Rathore alleged that the BJP had repeatedly attempted to divide society on different issues, beginning with religious polarisation around the Ram temple issue and subsequently through other political and social issues.
He also referred to allegations surrounding the Ram temple donation controversy, saying that when a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was constituted, the persons associated with the trust, including its chairman and general secretary, were given a clean chit. He alleged that the BJP had subsequently attempted to divide society along caste and linguistic lines.
Rathore further alleged that the BJP had earlier sought to bring the issue of women's reservation to Delhi despite the law already having been enacted, and said the latest controversy over Vande Mataram was another attempt to create divisions.
Rathore said the country had been independent for decades and that governments, including those led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had continued the existing traditions regarding the national song.
"There was no objection when the country was governed by different governments. Modi ji is now the Prime Minister for the third time. What has suddenly happened that this issue has become so important?" he asked.
He said the Congress Working Committee's 1934 resolution had historical relevance because the freedom movement was conducted under its leadership, and claimed that the decision to sing two stanzas was taken following suggestions from Tagore.
Rathore said the BJP was attempting to manufacture a confrontation between the national song and national anthem despite there being no inherent conflict between the two.
Rathore also raised the issue of rising sugar prices, alleging that the Centre's ethanol policy and its push towards higher ethanol blending were contributing to pressure on sugar availability and prices.
He criticised what he described as an "unhealthy experiment" by the BJP government in pursuing the E30 ethanol blending target and alleged that sugar prices had "skyrocketed" as a consequence of the government's policies.
The Congress leader said the government should instead focus on the impact of rising prices on ordinary consumers, particularly ahead of festivals.
"Before the festivals, sugar prices will increase further," Rathore said, alleging that the policies were aimed at benefiting a handful of industrialists and capitalists rather than ordinary people.
He questioned whether the government had any concern for the common people facing rising household expenses.
On the functioning of the Himachal Pradesh Assembly, Rathore rejected allegations that the Congress was responsible for the House not functioning properly during the first two days of the monsoon session.
"No, absolutely not. We have not said that. If the House could not function for two days, whose fault would it be? It is the BJP, the Opposition, because they do not want the House to function," Rathore said.
He alleged that BJP MLAs had staged protests for two consecutive days and were continuing to raise issues that, according to him, were preventing substantive public concerns from being discussed in the Assembly.
"Today also, after some time, they will protest. But what issue are they protesting over? You have to tell us," he said.
Rathore said the Opposition's protests were preventing issues affecting people from being raised on the floor of the Assembly.
With eight sitting days remaining in the session, Rathore appealed to the Opposition to allow the Assembly to function smoothly and devote its time to issues concerning the people.
"My suggestion is that at least let the Assembly function peacefully for the remaining days," he said.
He said inflation, unemployment, recruitment examination irregularities, and rising prices should receive priority in the House instead of political controversies over national symbols.
Rathore alleged that the BJP-led government was using such controversies to divert attention from the economic concerns confronting ordinary citizens.
He also alleged that the government's policies were increasingly benefiting a few corporate and wealthy groups, while the interests of ordinary people were being neglected.