The Opposition Congress on Monday said the BJP should adopt the gun used by Nathuram Godse to assassinate Mahatma Gandhi as its election symbol, intensifying its attack on the ruling party ahead of next month’s two-phase panchayat polls in Assam.
Assam PCC president Bhupen Kumar Borah made the remarks at Biswanath in response to Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s suggestion during a campaign rally in Upper Assam that the Congress should adopt the lungi as its party symbol.
The lungi — a cotton lower garment commonly worn by men — is often associated in Assam with migrant Bengali-speaking Muslims, particularly in Upper and Central Assam, where they are frequently portrayed by the BJP as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. The ruling party regularly attempts to brand Congress as a representative of their interests during elections.
Responding sharply, Borah said while campaigning for the May 2 and 7 polls: “If Congress has to adopt the lungi, let me tell you, for us, lungi, dhoti, pyjama and trousers are all the same. I wear all of them. Our perspective is different. Most people ask me — why is the BJP’s symbol a lotus? It should be the gun that Nathuram Godse used to assassinate Mahatma Gandhi. BJP-RSS politics started with Godse’s bullets!”
He added, “Therefore, Himanta Biswa Sarma should urge his central leadership to adopt the gun Godse used — the one with which he pumped three bullets into Gandhi — as the BJP’s party symbol.”
Godse shot Gandhi on January 30, 1948, using an Italian-made Beretta M1934 pistol. He was later sentenced to death. Godse was known to be associated with the RSS and Hindu Mahasabha.
Earlier, during a rally in Tinsukia district, Sarma criticised the Congress for lacking vision and said their only welfare schemes were the free distribution of lungis, dhotis, mosquito nets and thread. In contrast, he said, the BJP-led government had launched schemes focused on women’s empowerment and higher education.
“Congress means lungi, Congress means suta (yarn), kambal (blanket), dhoti and athuwa (mosquito net)... They do not understand Assam,” Sarma had said.
