Cong miffed with the removal of Rajiv Gandhi pictures from Sadbhavana Diwas celebrations

New Delhi: The Congress in the Rajya Sabha today raised the issue of removal of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi's photos and name during the Sadbhawana Diwas celebrations on August 20. It also demanded to immediately rectify the changes made in the nomenclature of schemes associated with Congress leaders. Raising the issue during Zero Hour, Ms Chhaya Verma of the Congress said every year on August 20, Sadbhavana Diwas is celebrated and all posters and banners bear the pictures of the former Prime Minister but after this government came to power it had removed all pictures and names of Rajiv Gandhi which is an insult to the country.

Deputy Leader of the Opposition Anand Sharma said, "Since 2014, pictures of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, who was also a martyred Prime Minister, have been removed from all government advertisements and schemes". Leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad said those who participated in the freedom struggle have been ignored during the past two-and-half year, but names of those who have not participated in the freedom struggle have found place in government schemes. The former Prime Minister played a very important role in the Sri Lanka issue by sending a peacekeeping force there.

Mr Azad said Mr Gandhi laid down his life for the integrity of the country and names of schemes and policies started in his memory should not be changed. Responding to the concerns by members, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said, the Congress thought that every scheme and policy should be in the name of one party and one family only which was not possible. He said there were other freedom fighters and great leaders in the country and schemes and policies should also be in their names. (UNI)