Ranchi, February 6: BJP spokesperson Pratul Shah Dev has raised questions regarding the Congress party‘s contribution to India’s independence. He claimed that Congress did not play a significant role in the freedom struggle, suggesting they were engaged in a “friendly match” with the British.
In an interview with a news agency on Friday, he stated that when Pandit Nehru was imprisoned, his jail cell was merely three to four rooms. He noted that Nehru’s clothes were sent to Paris for washing. Aside from the 1942 ‘Quit India’ movement, he argued that Congress did not initiate any major movements until independence, alleging that they had allied with the British thereafter.
Shah Dev challenged Congress supporters to name a single leader, aside from Lala Lajpat Rai, who made a significant contribution to the independence movement. He asserted that Congress has not contributed to the country’s freedom, but rather played a “friendly match” with the British, considering their own positions.
He further claimed that Congress members had even sworn allegiance to Queen Victoria, questioning their patriotism. According to him, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru worked under the Cabinet Mission with the sole aim of becoming Prime Minister after independence, with no real contribution to the freedom struggle.
Shah Dev posed a direct question regarding why Lord Mountbatten remained the Viceroy of India even after the country gained independence in 1947, suggesting that he should have been removed immediately. He also questioned why a British officer continued to serve as a general in the Indian Army for five years post-independence, and why the British government maintained control over the Navy’s general position for the same duration. He concluded that these points indicate a longstanding relationship between Congress and the British.