MUMBAI, Aug 1: The Birhanmumbai Pradesh Youth Congress (BPYC) today demanded an apolog from Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray and Bharatiya Janata Party general secretary Pramod Mahajan for their earlier abuse and denial of Mahatma Gandhi.BPYC president Charan Singh Sapra today told reporters that the Congress would not participate in the Sena-BJP Government's celebration of the golden jubilee of India's Independence until the apology was made unconditionally.At a press conference today, Sapra said the two parties had suddenly seen value and worth in appropriating to themselves Mahatma Gandhi who was responsible for giving the Quit India call that finally drove the British out of India.However, Congress president Sitaram Kesri had decided to stay away from the Maharashtra government's celebrations and the BPYC had made a representation to Prime Minister Inder Kumar Gujral to also do so in order to deny the Sena-BJP the legitimacy that they were now seeking for themselves, he said.Sapra said the contribution of the two parties to the freedom struggle was zero and since coming to power in Maharashtra it had been stifling the voice of democratic dissent, clearly proved by its attacks on the homes of Congress leaders and the Press.The Prime Minister will be greeted with black flags if he chooses to attend the function, he said. Meanwhile, the BPYC would lead its own procession to August Kranti Maidan on August 9.They were prepared to be stopped by the police and would convert their homage procession into a dharna if they were not allowed access to the hallowed grounds, he said.He also objected to the government's plans to hoist the national flag on the evening of August 9. ``These parties do not even know that the tricolour is always hoisted in the mornings and well before noon. An evening unfurling is an insult to the nation,'' he added.
