‘Italian Cong playing politics on Verma ashes’

Modi had brought Verma’s ashes from Geneva, and taken in a Veeranjali Yatra across Gujarat, to be installed at the Vermas’ home in Mandvi. The Chief Minister said the Congress’ boycott of the Mumbai function to welcome Varma’s ashes was an insult to the freedom fighter.

‘‘There are two Congresses,’’ he said. ‘‘One which was led by Mahatma Gandhi, and the other, the present day Congress, is an Italian Congress. This Italian Congress has not only insulted Varma, but has also questioned the yatra on financial grounds.’’ About expenses on the Veeranjali Yatra, he said: ‘‘You know what the samadhi to Sanjay Gandhi cost? Here, we are only offering floral tributes.’’

Even the Swiss recognised Varma and preserved his ashes for over 70 years, but the Congress chose the path of boycott, he said. He then went on to describe how Varma provided scholarships to 1,000 youths to study in London.

The state government, he said, has decided to erect a national memorial to Varma in Mandvi, on the lines of the one to Swami Vivekananda in Kanyakumari. However, he said, he was not making a formal announcement as an Assembly session was round the corner. A proposal for the monument would soon be sent to the Centre, he said. Throughout his speech, Modi referred to the country as Hindustan, though Advani used the word Bharat.

He also ridiculed Congress chief ministers for promising to bring back the Bhavani sword of Chhatrapati Shivaji and the Kohinoor diamond and said the BJP would soon initiate efforts to bring the two heritage pieces back.

Modi, who gave example after example to highlight Verma’s greatness, left Advani with little to say but that Modi’s speech was ‘‘inspiring’’.

Advani, who earlier in the morning inaugurated a new airport building in Bhuj and announced it will be named after Shyamji Krishna Verma after approval of the Union Cabinet, said what the country today needs is Vitamin P (for patriotism).