A nation "disintegrates" when those in power create "disputes" and not due to "sloganeering by youths", senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad stated here today even as he pitched for keeping alive secularism.
Speaking at the National Seminar on 'Journey of Modern India', Azad, the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha launched a veiled attack on the ruling party alleging that vote bank politics is dividing communities.
"This disintegration will not take place due to sloganeering by four youths, whether the video was doctored or not, I am not going into it. If some youths give slogans that India will be disintegrate into pieces, a nation does not disintegrate thus.
"I have heard such slogans for 50 years, Kashmir is still there, I became its Chief Minister too (later) emerging out of those students only. I have seen that Kashmir.
"And some of those who raised slogans became judges, professors, woh sudhar gaye (they did mend their ways). It is like an infatuation in students' life. But a nation disintegrates when those who run the government create disputes," Azad told the gathering.
During his speech, Azad accused the Government of not acting against its own ministers including Ram Shankar Katheria, MPs and ruling party office-bearers for allegedly making communal statements.
"You inflict sedition on students for sloganeering, but if the same slogans MPs and Minister raise, you don't even file an FIR. How this double standard will work?," he asked.
Azad lauded country's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru for hailing secularism during crisis situation like during partition, when the "situation was tense due to communalism".
Azad underscored need for spreading messages of Gandhi and Nehru in the present circumstances as secularism is facing its "biggest threat".
"Secularism is facing its biggest threat today. And I will say, more you will spread message about Gandhi and Nehru, lesser it will be because the direction in which the country is heading is not in the interest of country's unity and integrity," he added.
The inaugural session of the seminar, organised by Rajiv Gandhi study circle, was also organised by former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and intellectuals.
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Taking a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Deputy Leader of Congress in Rajya Sabha Anand Sharma said development cannot take place unless there is peace and harmony in the society.
"Unless there is peace and harmony no one will invest money in your country, you country's image will take a beating," Sharma said, while speaking at a session on 'Journey of Modern India'.
The senior Congress leader claimed that no country in the world has quadrupled its economy in a decade like India did during the 10 years of UPA rule between 2004 and 2014.
Sharma, who credited Atal Bihari Vajpayee for carrying forward the work done by the past government, said the BJP stalwart had also advised Modi to follow 'Raj dharma'.
"Although Atal ji was from the from RSS and Jan Sangh background, he had understood that the ideals of Nehru and Congress on secularism, which is why he had advised the present Prime Minister (Modi) to follow Raj Dharma after Gujarat 2002 riots,"
The Congress leader also sought to reason out the intentions behind Indira Gandhi imposing emergency.
"If any democratically elected leader of any nation, who has political challenge before her, if the opposition is not ready to contest polls and if armed forces are being asked to rebel then what will a democratically elected leadership do, which has the constitutional responsibility to give good governance?
"It was a past chapter, on which she herself expressed regret, the Congress party has expressed regret. Can any person who does not believe in democracy, a dictator conduct polls and that too on time. She and the party lost polls and after that transfer of government took place in a very peaceful manner," he said.
He said attempts are being made to discredit Jawharlal Nehru's contribution by spreading lies.
"Today I am surprised when uninvolved people or individuals who believe in disinformation, try to distort, misinterpret (facts) and confuse particularly the younger generation so that you separate them from the glorious chapters of struggle, our sacrifices and our history," Sharma said.
