In 2019 general elections the nation would witness an unique fight. This time it will be a fight of not just ideology, issues and ideals but also of national icons. It’s going to be showdown between the icons of the Congress party vs the icons of the BJP.
The Congress party in its more than sixty years of rule only projected the members of Nehru-Gandhi family- Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi– as national icons. The party highlighted the contribution of only these three leaders at the cost of undermining many other stalwart leaders of the Congress. There are lots of properties, statues and parks dedicated to these three leaders.
On the other hand, in last 4.5 years the BJP government managed to project its icons as the national icon. The BJP has spent enormous time in highlighting ideas, thoughts and contributions of its ideologues and leaders like Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, Deen Dayal Upadhyay and Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The BJP has also worked upon highlighting the fact that how the Congress suppressed the legacy of its stalwart nationalist leaders like Patel, Lal Bahadur Shastri and P V Narsimha Rao. The Congress party treated these leaders like pariah. It has consistently worked towards providing these stalwarts the right place in India’s history. A sort of ‘historical rehabilitation.’ As such, in popular imagination, nation builder like Sardar Patel is more associated with the BJP than the Congress. As for Lal Bahadur Shastri and PV Narasimha Rao are concerned, BJP has ensured that the people do not forget how they were treated by the Nehru-Gandhi family, in life and in death.
The BJP is working in the direction to accord the right place to the makers of independent India. The Congress party ignored and suppressed the contribution of these makers of India in order to promote and favor Nehru dynasty.
The BJP is planning to inaugurate 182 meter high statue of Sardar Patel which is the biggest statue of the world. Sardar Patel played the pivotal role in integrating Indian states. The indomitable man single handedly integrated 562 princely states with Union of India. He is the “Architect of Modern India.” However, miniscule minority knows about his contribution. It’s not their fault. Those who ruled the country for more than sixty years wanted to keep people unaware about the contribution of such a great person. Now, the incumbent government is in working in the direction to make people aware about ideas, philosophy and contribution of Sardar Patel.
Along with Sardar Patel, the BJP is also spreading the idea and philosophy of Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar. The BJP has built Dr Ambedkar International Centre. It shows party’s dedication and commitment for the ideas and philosophy of Ambedkar. Bhim Rao Ambedkar is considered as the Architect of Indian Constitution.
The BJP’s annual calendar has declared June 23 as sacrifice day of Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee. Many of the government schemes are named after Deen Dayal Upadhyaya and Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The party is also going to celebrate birthday of Atal Bihari Vajpayee which falls on December 25 on a grand scale. On the occasion, the party will highlight all his contributions.
The BJP party has been constantly targeting the Congress party on the issue of promoting only leaders coming from Nehru-Gandhi family as national icon. The BJP is also targeting the Congress party over its corrupt rule and wrong policies.
At the present moment, the BJP has lots of national icon and on the other hand when the dynasty is hated throughout the country, the Congress party does not have any single national icon to project.