Congress threatens to protest if plaque with Sonia Gandhi's name not re-installed at Atal tunnel

All India Congress Committee (AICC) secretary Sanjay Dutt on Sunday threatened to protest if the foundation plaque bearing Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi's name is not reinstalled at Atal Tunnel, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi last year.

In an official statement to the media, the Congress leader said, "If the plaque is not reinstalled at the same place soon, then Congress will agitate against it."

Dutt said that the state government despite assurances earlier did not reinstall the plaque.

Earlier, Congress had stated that Sonia Gandhi had laid the foundation stone for the Rohtang Tunnel project on June 28, 2010, at Dhoondi in Manali.

Dutt said that the Rohtang Tunnel is the gift of the then Congress-led UPA government.

During his recent visit to Manali, he said he himself has found that there is displeasure among the common people against the plaque removal. There is also raging anger among the Congress workers, Dutt added.

Dutt has said that the traditions started by the Centre and State Government to tamper with history are "completely condemnable".

He further said that the BJP has shown its petty politics by removing the plaque for the inauguration of the strategic tunnel by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 3 last year.

"In a democracy, the governments of any political party come and go. Such removal of the plaques of their work or any kind of tampering with them is a grave insult to democracy which can never be tolerated," he said.

Dutt stated that Congress will not tolerate the insult of its leaders. "BJP has not contributed anything in the construction of Rohtang Tunnel. Congress has no objection to this too. Our objection is over the removal of its foundation stone, which should be installed at the same place soon."

Meanwhile, BJP national president Jagat Prakash Nadda will visit Atal tunnel on Monday.

( With inputs from ANI )