BJP's Anantkumar Hegde sparks storm, labels Mahatma Gandhi's freedom struggle 'drama'

The former Union Minister said that the British did not leave India because of Gandhi's 'Satyagraha' movement and gave freedom out of frustration.

IANS Photo

New Delhi: Former Union Minister and BJP MP Anantkumar Hegde is in the news again, and for all the wrong reasons. This time, the BJP leader has attacked none other than the Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi. 

Hedge in his latest speech described Mahatma Gandhi's freedom struggle as 'drama' and said that his blood boiled when he read history and 'such people came to be called Mahatma'. He was speaking at an event in Bangalore that the entire freedom movement was staged with the consent and support of the British, and the independence movement led by Gandhi was a 'drama'. 

"People supporting Congress keep saying that India got independence because of the fast unto death and satyagraha. This is not true. The British did not leave the country because of satyagraha. The Britishers gave independence out of frustration. My blood boils when I read history. Such people become Mahatma in our country," Hegde said in his concluding statement. 

"The entire freedom movement was staged with the consent and support of the British. None of these so-called leaders was beaten up by the cops even once. Their independence movement was one big drama. It was not a genuine fight. It was an adjustment freedom struggle," he said.

The six-time BJP MP from Uttara Kannada is known to be a loudmouth. A minister in the first term of Narendra Modi government, Hegde was dropped when the BJP came to power for the second term in May 2019.

Meanwhile, Hegde's remarks on Gandhi has stirred controversy with Tushar Gandhi (Gandhi's grandson) and Congress criticising it severely. 

"Hegde is correct in saying Bapu's Freedom Fight was a drama. It was so intense that it opened the eyes of the British to their immoral colonisation and enslavement of India," Tushar Gandhi wrote on Twitter. 

The Congress also slammed the BJP leader on social media. Congress leader BK Hariprasad condemned Hegde's remark on Gandhi and termed him as the son of Nathuram Godse, the assassin of the freedom fighter. 

The Trinamool Congress also lent its support to Congress as its leader Saugata Roy said people like Anant Hegde cause shame to the nation. "We are a supporter of Gandhi and they (BJP) are Nathuram Godse supporters. People of this country should see how BJP MPs are as they insult father of the nation," he said.

BJP leaders too found it difficult to defend Hegde on the controversial remarks. Senior leader Jagdambika pal was cautious in his defence and said, "The whole world knows about Gandhi and it may be his personal opinion."

And while other senior BJP leaders avoided commenting on the controversy, Union Minister Ashwani Choubey said that Hegde should not have made the comment, adding that Gandhi is a well-respected figure in the nation.