Congress Apologises For Missing Maulana Azad in its Ad, BJP Says 'Votebank Politics Gone Wrong’

After facing a backlash from several Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders for missing out on Maulana Abul Kalam Azad’s photograph from an ad, Congress on Sunday apologized calling it an “inexcusable slip up”. The full-page newspaper advertisement was for the 85th Congress Plenary Session in Chhattisgarh’s Raipur from February 24-26.

BJP came down heavily on the grand old party calling out its “vote bank politics”, and claiming Azad was missing from the poster ad because he no more holds utility for Congress.

Releasing an apology, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh took to Twitter and wrote, “Responsibility for it is being fixed & action will be taken. Meanwhile this is a most sincere apology from us. He will always remain an iconic & inspiring figure for us & India.”

Meanwhile, BJP leader Amit Malviya took to Twitter and wrote, “It is about Maulana Azad’s diminishing utility for the Congress to fetch Muslim votes. Nothing else explains this. Congress has found new icons in bigots like Tipu Sultan and Aurangzeb. Congress uses Muslim icons for votebank politics.”

Additionally, BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla took the “votebank politics” jibe a notch up and wondered if Afzal and Yakub are better vote catchers for Congress. “Congress now has no use for Maulana Azad! Perhaps they have found that Afzal & Yakub are better vote catchers? And look where they have placed Netaji ! In the same row as Indira & Rajiv Gandhi! Really?”

Former Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad also attacked the Congress, saying that after “my exit from the party, BJPisation of Congress is taking place”. Hitting out at Azad, Ramesh said, “Maulana Abul Kalam Azad never ever betrayed the Congress Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad. Did you see the backdrop at Raipur where Maulana Azad was prominently displayed.”

Notably, Congress MP Manish Tewari also condemned the absence of Azad’s picture from the ad. He tweeted, “The @INCIndia has a pantheon of Muslim leaders who struggled against fissiparous tendencies especially within their community that led to creation of Pakistan & dedicated themselves to inclusive idea of India. Someone wants to airbrush their contribution from annals of History.”

Besides, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader asked Rahul Gandhi to look for “RSS elements” in Congress, responsible for missing Azad’s picture. “How can INC forget Maulana Azad and his contribution? Earlier also, Pranab Mukherjee and Shivraj Patil approved installation of Savarkar’s portrait in Parliament,” he further tweeted.

The full-page advertisement, published in dailies on the third day of the plenary session, featured Congress leaders of the past — Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, B R Ambedkar, Subhas Chandra Bose, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, P V Narasimha Rao and Sarojini Naidu.

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