Congress taunts Modi over remark about birthplace of Tilak and Gokhale

Narendra Modi

The Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) Thursday took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for saying that social reformers Lokmanya Tilak and Gopal Krishna Gokhale was born in Pune.

Modi, who was in Pune on Tuesday to lay the foundation stone of Pune Metro phase III, said during his speech that the city was the 'janmabhoomi' (birthplace) of these two leaders.

Targeting the PM over his statement, MPCC spokesperson Sachin Sawant said, "Those who forget history can never create a future."

Both these social reformers were born in Ratnagiri district, the Congress leader said. Tilak was born in Ratnagiri on 23 July 1856. He was one of the strongest advocates of Swaraj ("self-rule").

Gopal Krishna Gokhale was born on 9 May 1866 in Kotluk village of Guhagar taluka in Ratnagiri district. He became a member of the Indian National Congress in 1889 as a protg of social reformer Mahadev Govind Ranade.

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also, download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates