Central Ministers skipping Pathankot martyrs funeral, has now turned viral and the oppositions are using it as a weapon to target the Centre.

Niranjan EK, Pathankot martyr Lieutenant Colonel, was cremated with full military honours at his native place Palakkad in Kerala, yesterday.

On Monday, another martyr, Garud Commando Corporal Gursewak Singh was cremated at his village Garnala, near Ambala in Haryana. On the same day, Mool Raj, the only earning hand in the family and another martyr was cremated at his native place Jakh village in Samba district of Jammu and Kashmir.  

These three people are the part of the seven martyrs, who sacrificed their lives for  the motherland. They lost their lives, while fighting with the Pakistan backed terrorists at Pathankot Air Force Station in Punjab.

No doubt, all the martyrs got the customary full military honours at their cremation. But the shocking thing was, the complete absence of any representative from PM Narendra Modi's Cabinet at the funeral of the martyrs. Not a single Central Minister was present at the cremation.

When Niranjan EK, Lieutenant Colonel was cremated at Palakkad, the Kerala government was represented by CM Oommen Chandy and few of his cabinet colleagues. The Opposition Left front and a few of the local BJP leaders were also present, but no Central Minister was found in the premises.

Targeting the incident, Kerala Home Minister, Ramesh Chennithala and Palakkad MP MB Rajesh of the CPM have described it as shocking development. They said, “It is shocking that, nobody from the Centre is here. PM Modi should have sent a minister as his representative.”

The same situation prevailed at other funerals too. It is to be noted that, there is no such rule, the Central ministers should be present at the martyrs funeral. The military personnel represent the armed forces and also the government of India. But it is a matter of courtesy that the Central Government should at least send a minister to the funerals.

When it comes to the BJP, it is even more so. Because the ruling party always talks like as if it is the sole custodian of national honour and the protector of our armed forces. When he was Gujarat chief minister and in the run up to the unprecedented Lok Sabha elections in 2014, Modi repeatedly made fiery speeches attacking the Congress for its "lack" of respect for the martyrs.

After the dastardly 26/11 attack on Mumbai, Modi led the BJP attack, highlighting the inept handling of the entire operation by the then Congress government.

Modi never forgot to mention the name of Indian Armed Forces during his election campaign, and how he would teach a lesson to "enemy" Pakistan, after he was voted to power.
A few of the analysts opined, most of the armed forces also rallied behind him hoping that he would protect their honour.

However, the Central minister MA Naqvi denied all the allegations and tried his best in countering back the Congress leaders, who are cornering the Centre, for not attending the martyrs funerals.
   
Not just the main opposition party, Congress, but even a retired army officer declared war against the Centre saying, “Modi fooled us promising One Rank One Pension before elections. What he later gave us is nothing. He has time to attend Yoga camps. But no time even to send a minister to the funeral of martyrs.”

“Time for the Prime Minister Modi, his Cabinet, the BJP and the RSS to realise "What goes around, comes around.”

By Phani Ch