Share your story and shine at JK Monitor!🌟 Welcome to JK Monitor, where every story matters and every achievement is celebrated! We invite you to share the remarkable journey of your life and showcase your accomplishments to the world. Join our exclusive interviews that honor exceptional individuals just like you. JAMMU: Senior BJP leader and State Secretary, Jammu & Kashmir, Pawan Sharma, today strongly criticised the Congress for repeatedly attempting to claim exclusive ownership over India’s freedom struggle and questioning the contribution of organisations, individuals and national forces that worked for the country in different capacities.
Sharma said that India’s freedom was not the achievement of any single political party, family or group. It was the outcome of the sacrifices, struggles and contributions of countless known and unknown freedom fighters, revolutionaries, social reformers and ordinary citizens who dedicated their lives to the cause of the nation.
“Those who accepted the partition of the country in 1947 in the pursuit of political power have no moral authority to issue certificates of patriotism or demand proof of contribution from others,” Shri Sharma said.
He said that the tragedy of Partition remains one of the darkest chapters in India’s history. Millions of people were displaced, families were separated and countless innocent lives were lost. Therefore, the political decisions taken at the time must also be examined objectively in the larger context of national interest rather than being presented through a selective political narrative.
Sharma emphasised that the freedom struggle and nation-building should not be reduced to political ownership. According to him, India's national movement involved people from diverse ideological, social and geographical backgrounds. Revolutionaries, underground activists, social workers, cultural organisations, students, farmers, workers and innumerable ordinary citizens contributed in their own ways.
He further said that the contribution of an organisation or individual to the nation cannot be judged solely through participation in a particular phase of the freedom movement. “Nation-building is a continuous process. The responsibility of strengthening society, preserving national values, serving the underprivileged and working for the unity and integrity of Bharat did not end on August 15, 1947,” he added.
Sharma said that several organisations and social forces began working for social consolidation, national reconstruction, character building and cultural awakening even before Independence and continued that work after 1947. Their contribution, he said, should be assessed on the basis of their historical work rather than political convenience.
He accused the Congress of selectively interpreting history whenever it suits its political narrative. “Congress cannot simultaneously claim exclusive credit for the freedom struggle and then question the patriotism of everyone who does not subscribe to its political ideology. The freedom struggle belongs to the entire nation. The sacrifices of our martyrs belong to every Indian,” Shri Sharma stated.
He also called upon political parties to rise above partisan politics while discussing India's freedom struggle. “Instead of repeatedly asking others to produce certificates of patriotism, Congress should introspect on its own historical decisions, particularly the circumstances surrounding Partition. The people of India deserve an honest and comprehensive account of history, not political narratives designed to protect the interests of one party or one family,” he said.
Sharma stressed that the younger generation must be taught a complete and balanced history of India, one that recognises the sacrifices of all sections of society and does not erase or minimise the contributions of individuals and organisations merely because they do not fit into a particular political narrative.
He said that today's India is moving forward with confidence and determination, and the national focus should now be on strengthening the country's unity, sovereignty, social harmony and development.
“History should inspire us, not divide us. We must remember every sacrifice made for Bharat, acknowledge every contribution to nation-building and work together to build a strong, prosperous and developed India by 2047,” Shri Sharma concluded.