Kunal Shrivatsa
JAMMU, Dec 1: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Prime Ministerial candidate and Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi has perhaps developed a habit of making goof ups on historical fact and his fiery speech during 'Lalkaar Rally' here today, was no exception as he once again bungled over reality.
The BJP is now feeling embarrassed with regular gaffes by its 'charismatic leader' Narendra Modi.
In the latest embarrassment, Modi erred over the names of some of the recipients of gallantry awards and the medals they were awarded.
While referring to the supreme sacrifices made by the armed forces in battling the enemies of the nation in J&K, Modi mentioned the names of Major Som Nath Sharma, Brigadier Rajinder Singh and some others valiant soldiers.
No doubt, Modi's reference to Major Sharma and Brigadier Singh was a befitting tribute to the martyrdom of thousands of soldiers but stating that Mahavir Chakra was awarded to Major Sharma while Brigadier Singh was decorated with Param Vir Chakra is factually incorrect as infact it was vice versa.
It could either be a slip of tongue or another glaring example of Modi's gaffe with historical facts.
However, going by his recent track record on history and facts, the wrong attribution of the gallantry awards to Brig Singh and Major Sharma, the accusations by his critics that Modi is 'either ill-informed or lying' gains weightage.
It was not long ago when Modi during a rally in Bihar had said, "When we think of Gupta dynasty, we remember Chandragupta Maurya."
But in reality, Chandragupta, was the king of Maurya dynasty and not Gupta dynasty. Modi was again factually incorrect in the same rally when he said, "Taxila is in Bihar." However, to be correct, Taxila is nowhere near Bihar, it is in Pakistan.
Modi did not stop on twisting the facts as he also said that Alexander's army conquered the world but was defeated by the Biharis. In reality, Alexander's army neither crossed the Ganga nor was it defeated by Biharis.
But the situation reached a crescendo of embarrassment when Modi during a rally in Khed, Gujarat, Modi referred to Jan Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mookerjee instead of Shyamaji Krishna Varma.
Modi had said, "Syama Prasad Mookerjee was a revolutionist. He died in 1930. His last wish was that his ashes should be brought to India after independence and till then it was in Geneva." But the Jan Sangh founder died in 1953, not in London, but in Jammu & Kashmir. |
