Jabalpur, May 31 (IANS) Congress on Saturday slammed the BJP for alleged politics over Operation Sindoor, asserting that people who do politics over the shrouds of martyrs can never be patriots.

“Those who do politics on the shroud of martyrs cannot be patriots. Such people have no contributions towards India’s freedom. Today, they are taking credit for Operation Sindoor and are indirectly saying that the Indian Armed Forces bow before Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” said former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh while addressing the ‘Jai Hind Sabha’ event, which was organised by Congress in Jabalpur.

Meanwhile, in a symbolic gesture, the former Chief Minister refused to share with his senior party colleagues during the event.

The veteran Congressman chose to sit among the people, leaving the chair reserved for him on the stage vacant. He went on stage only to address the gathering, and after finishing his speech, returned to his chair among the crowd again.

During his brief speech at this occasion, Digvijaya Singh accused the ruling BJP of politicising the national interest in an attempt to take mileage of the success of Operation Sindoor launched by the Indian armed forces to destroy Pakistan-based terror camps.

Seeing the veteran Congress leader sitting among the people, former Madhya Pradesh minister Lakhan Ghanghoria requested Digvijaya Singh to join other senior party colleagues sitting on stage, which he refused.

Also, Congress MLA from Jabalpur East, Ghanghoria, was seen touching Digvijaya’s feet in respect and to convince him to join the senior leaders on stage. However, the veteran Congressman stood firm on his decision, refusing to join other senior leaders on stage.

Digvijaya’s decision not to sit on stage on Saturday was perhaps to remain firm on his vow to shun podiums, he announced after a squabble erupted among Congress office-bearers over the sitting arrangement on the podium during a programme in Gwalior on April 28.

Following this, an irate Digvijaya had announced that he would never sit on any podium again and would sit with the people instead.

The incident occurred during the Congress’s ‘Samvidhan Bachao’ (Save Constitution) rally.

Besides Digvijaya, the rally was attended by AICC state in-charge Harish Chaudhary, party state president Jitu Patwari, Madhya Pradesh LoP Umang Singar and AICC social media chief Supriya Shrinate.

Also on the dais were AICC co-in-charge Sanjay Dutt, CWC members Kamleshwar Patel and Omkar Markam, former Union minister Arun Yadav and others.

Saturday’s event in Jabalpur was part of Congress’s nationwide ‘Jai Hind Sabhas’ to honour the bravery the armed forces displayed during Operation Sindoor in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.

The opposition party’s programme is being seen as a counter to the BJP’s Tiranga Yatras organised across the country recently to honour the bravery of the armed forces and celebrate the success of Operation Sindoor.

–IANS

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