AGARTALA, Aug 23 (TIWN): Ashes of India’s Ex-Prime Minister late Atal Bihari Vajpayee who breathed his last on August 16 have been brought in Tripura, which were handed over to BJP General Secretary Pratima Bhowmik on Thursday to be immersed in rivers of here as a part of “Atal Kalash Yatra". Even though Vajpeyee’s soul has been already resting in peace with Haridwar final ritual where his family members immersed the ashes of him in Ganga river but it was decided by BJP Central leaders to continue the ritual across Indian states and the duty for it was taken by BJP units of each state. At Agartala Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport, the ashes were handed over to Chief Minister Biplab Deb and Deputy CM Jishnu Debbarma and in a vehicle with garlands it was brought in BJP Headquarter. On August 26, the ashes will be immersed in rivers of 8 districts. A mass gathering of BJP supporters were observed in the Airport.

The Congress on Wednesday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for doing vote-bank politics in the name of late Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee ash immersion, and urged him to spare at least some areas to give real respect to the statesman.

The Opposition's remarks came after Modi and BJP President Amit Shah earlier in the day distributed urns carrying Vajpyee's ashes to party presidents of all state units directing them to immerse them in different rivers following condolence meetings even at the taluka level. 

"Atalji was famous as a statesman. Soniaji and Rahulji both paid tribute to him and expressed grief over his death... The real tribute to such person would be when we follow his principles. Congress respects and pays real tribute to Vajpayeeji. We urge Modiji to spare some areas from vote bank politics. This would be a real respect to that great personality," said All India Congress Committee General Secretary and in charge of the party's Bihar affairs Shakti Sinh Gohil. 

It can be noted here, the famous quote of Vajpayee was, “Let no one question India’s secularism. If India is not secular, then India is not India at all”. But today BJP, RSS are going in contrast with Vajpayee’s quote.