STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Former Minister J&K and senior Congress leader, Yogesh Sawhney on Friday expressed concerns over the motives behind the recent decision of the Union Government to change the name of Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award to Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award.
He said that Major Dhyan Chand was a legendary sportsperson who brought supreme glory to India and he deserves to be honoured in the best ways possible.
However, the action of the Modi government to replace the name of a former Prime Minister, who was a martyred leader, is a dishonour to his sacrifice and contributions, he said.
“We must not forget that Rajiv Gandhi was the leader who in a span of five years laid the foundation for a modern India,” he said.
Speaking on the matter, Sawhney said that the BJP Government has been on a spree of modifying historic narratives ever since it came to power, particularly intending to diminish the value or importance of many personalities who have given a lot to the country. They want to sing songs of their praise and there is no bigger example of this than the renaming of Sardar Patel Cricket Stadium to Narendra Modi Stadium inaugurated by an incumbent President of the nation, he said.
Sardar Patel, the Iron Man of India, was an extraordinary leader who dedicated his life to the country, to it’s freedom struggle and later it’s development.
“From the very beginning, this government has started a renaming culture. They have renamed more than 25 towns and villages in India since they assumed power. They renamed 19 out of 23 schemes of the Congress government. They renamed stadiums and names of cities and now awards. It is clear how the Modi government wants to rewrite history and this is one of their tactics. There would have been a thousand other and better ways to honor the legendary player Major Dhyan Chand. This brand of nationalism which is promoted by the Modi government is toxic and fosters hate. They want to bend history but if they continue down the same path, history won’t be kind to them too,” he said.
“BJP can’t erase Rajiv Gandhi’s memories from people’s hearts. He was an able leader who prepared the country for the twenty-first century. Rajiv Gandhi is hailed as the ‘Father of Information Technology and Telecom Revolution of India’,” Sawhney said.
‘The entire nation deeply respects Major Dhyan Chand for his incredible contributions to hockey and sports in India but to honour one great personality we don’t need to dishonour another. It is extremely unfortunate that the government would stir nationalist feelings to play political games,” he said.