Muslim leaders' pictures missing from Congress' plenary session advertisement, party apologises

New Delhi [India], February 26 : Pictures of several Muslim party leaders and freedom fighters including Maulana Abul Kalam Azad were missing from the Congress advertisement for the party's 85th plenary.
The Congress apologised after its received criticism from other parties for omitting the image of Maulana Azad and including the picture of former Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh apologised for the mistake and said that action will be taken.
"Today an ad released by INC did not carry a photograph of Maulana Azad. It was an inexcusable slipup. Responsibility for it is being fixed and action will be taken. Meanwhile, this is a most sincere apology from us. He will always remain an iconic and inspiring figure for us and India," said Ramesh in a tweet.
An advertisement issued by the party in several newspapers had images of top Congress leaders from Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and B R Ambedkar to Rajiv Gandhi and P V Narasimha Rao.
Party MP Manish Tewari took a serious view of the matter and said someone wants to airbrush their contribution from annals of History.
"The @INCIndia has a pantheon of Muslim leaders who struggled against fissiparous tendencies, especially within their community that led to the creation of Pakistan and dedicated themselves to the inclusive idea of India. Someone wants to airbrush their contribution from annals of History," he said in a tweet.
However, Congress tweeted pictures from the plenary session where photos of Maulana Azad were installed.
"Maulana Azad and all freedom fighters are at the core of the Congress party and our ideology. A picture of our esteemed leader Maulana Azad on the Dias of the 85th Plenary Session says it all!" party's Secretary of Communications Vaibhav Walia said in a tweet along with the photos from the session.
The All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) questioned the inclusion of a photo of Narasimha Rao in the advertisement and said, "The inclusion of PV Narasimha Rao says everything we need to know about Congress party's "secularism". As Prime Minister, Narasimha Rao played an essential role in the demolition of Babri Masjid. It should not be forgiven or forgotten."
It is pertinent to mention, Narasimha Rao was criticised for 'not doing enough' to stop the demolition of the Babri Masjid which took place on December 6, 1992, when he was the Prime Minister.
Congress leader Salman Anees Soz also talked about the party ad "that features its most prominent leaders but regrettably omits Maulana Azad". "I am told that one image was put out erroneously. Maulana Azad is one of the greatest Congress leaders and features prominently at the #AICCPlenary," he added, while posting a picture showing Azad's photo on the plenary dais.
Ameeque Jamei, the national spokesperson of the Samajwadi Party, suggested it was a calculated move to keep out the man who advocated the cause of Muslims and backwards.
"It is part of a design that the name of the man who originally worked for Bharat Jodo, Maulana Abul Kamal Azad, is missing. Is this the picture of future India?" Jamei tweeted.
Congress' 85th plenary session ended on Sunday.