‘Sour grapes’: Congress takes swipe at Himanta for latter’s dig at Oppn’s ‘India’
Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Tuesday that “we should strive to free ourselves from colonial legacies” after the British named the country ‘India’
After Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday took a jibe at the formation of a coalition of the opposition parties, named Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), the Congress responded on Wednesday calling it “a surplus of sour grapes in his mouth.”
Sarma said on Tuesday that “we should strive to free ourselves from colonial legacies” after the British named the country ‘India’.
Responding to this, Congress MP Jairam Ramesh wrote on Twitter, “Is the Assam CM having a surplus of sour grapes in his mouth? His new mentor, Mr. Modi, gave us Skill India, Start-up India and Digital India—all new names for ongoing programmes. He’s asked CMs of different states to work together as ‘Team India’. He even made an appeal to Vote India!”
“But when 26 political parties call their formation INDIA, he throws a fit and says use of India reflects ‘colonial mentality’! He should go tell that to his Boss,” Ramesh added.
In another tweet, the Congress leader said, “The essential message of the Bharat Jodo Yatra: Judega Bharat The essential message of the Bengaluru conclave of 26 political parties: Jeetega INDIA.”
PM Modi reacted to the opposition alliance and said, “The people are watching, why these parties are getting together, what is the glue joining them and how for smaller selfish reasons they are compromising... In Kerala, the Left and the Congress are after each other’s blood, however, in Bengaluru, the leaders of both parties are joining hands. In Bengal, the Trinamool Congress is attacking the workers of the Left and Congress. However, the leaders of these parties are silent on these attacks. This is not a mission but majboori (compulsion).”