The Hindu : 'No single family can claim credit for leading freedom struggle'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, May 05, 2002

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'No single family can claim credit for leading freedom struggle'

The Home Minister, L.K. Advani, paying homage at the statue of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose at the Marina Park in Port Blair on Saturday. - PTI

PORT BLAIR MAY 4. The Union Home Minister, L.K. Advani, today said that no single party or family could claim all the credit for leading the country's freedom struggle ignoring the contribution of eminent persons such as Veer Savarkar and Subhash Chandra Bose.

Without naming the Congress or the Nehru-Gandhi family, Mr. Advani said ``no single party or family can claim that it was only their contribution which led to the country's freedom. Sometimes, even the party is forgotten.''

Speaking after renaming the Port Blair airport as Veer Savarkar Airport at a function here, Mr. Advani said the cellular jail, where Savarkar languished for nearly a decade during the freedom struggle, should be treated as a ``holy place''.

Criticising those who took exception to the use of the word ``Hindutva'', he said, ``nowadays, the mere use of the word ``Hindutva'' amounts to committing some sort of crime.''

Even the Supreme Court had ruled that Hindutva was a way of life and it was not confined to any religion, he said, adding that despite this observation, people thought that the word was being misused. ``We have to free ourselves from this irony.''

Recalling that though there were differences between Gandhiji and Nehru, they had been one on certain issues, Mr. Advani said people should draw inspiration from the freedom fighters. When the first Cabinet was formed by Nehru, Gandhiji ensured the inclusion of persons such as B.R. Ambedkar and Shyama Prasad Mukherjee. This was done because they had the capacity to lead the nation, he added.

Mr. Advani was accompanied by the Union Minister of State for Home, Chaudhary Vidyasagar Rao and other senior officials.

PTI

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