New Delhi: The Congress has not invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to an international conference it is organising to mark the 125th birth anniversary of Jawaharlal Nehru, joining the battle with Modi, who it accuses of trying to appropriate freedom movement leaders.
The two-day event to highlight the legacy and worldview of the first Prime Minister is being organised on November 17 and 18 and will be attended by a host of international leaders and representatives of various political parties from India and abroad.
"We have not given any invitation to the Prime Minister. We have invited all those who truly believe in democracy and the ideals of Nehru," Congress spokesperson Anand Sharma said replying to a volley of media questions about whether it has invited Modi and why not.
Interestingly, the party has put out the eulogising remarks about Nehru made by BJP's first Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on the website specially launched for the event today.
"Have we not acknowledged Atal Bihari Vajpayee. We are acknowledging all those who have said something meaningful. As a political party, we have our freedom to decide who subscribes to Nehru's views," he said.
Sources said that Congress will not invite any leader of BJP and its allies for the event.
The party has accused Modi of trying to appropriate leaders of the freedom movement like Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and Nehru by launching special schemes and diverting attention from their legacy.
There is already a National Committee for commemoration of Nehru's 125th birth anniversary chaired by the Prime Minister, which was reconstituted after the new government came to power.
Sharma said the conference will discuss Nehru's views on democracy, inclusion and empowerment in India and for the representative global order. It will provide a platform to reflect on Nehru's worldview and legacy in the context of contemporary global challenges.
The event is being organised separately by the Congress even as the government has already indicated that it will organise Nehru's 125th birth anniversary this year in a mega way to increase awareness about 'Chacha Nehru' through a number of initiatives like organising 'Year of Bal Swachhta'.
"Is it not the duty of Congress to celebrate the 125th birth anniversary of Nehru, who was its leader...We are not subordinate to the government...We are neither the petitioners before the government nor we will make a demand when it comes to upholding the dignity of freedom fighters and our leaders," Sharma said.
