Ahmedabad, Aug 13: After threatening to boycott the "extravagant" independence day official function at Patan in Gujarat, the state Congress fired yet another salvo at ruling BJP, announcing Vitthalbhai Pandya, father of slain minister Haren Pandya, will unfurl the tricolour at a parallel function in the historic town. "He (Vitthalbhai) is a symbol of state government's failure to control the law and order situation in Gujarat. And that is why we approached him to hoist the tricolour against Modi at Patan", Gujarat PCC spokesman Hasmukh Patel said here tonight.

Meanwhile, the BJP while maintaining that "it was immaterial as to who hoists the flag", questioned the very "concept" of parallel programme on a national festival. Replying to a question on Vitthalbhai, Bhatt said "I can only say that he (Vitthalbhai) is being emotionally blackmailed by the Congress."

A known critic of Gujarat Chief Minister, Vitthalbhai has been persistently caustic in his attack on Chief Minister Narendra Modi in connection with Haren Pandya's murder.

Bureau Report