Modi had used "dil maange more", the popular tagline of a Pepsi commercial which was immortalized by Batra after he retook some of the Kargil heights occupied by Pakistani aggressors, in a poll speech. Batra later fell to Pakistani bullets and was posthumously awarded the highest military honour, Param Vir Chakra.
BJP's PM nominee came under fire because he made the "dil maange more" pitch at Palampur, hometown of Batra whose mother Kamal Kanta is contesting the Hamirpur seat on an AAP ticket. He used the theme a second time at Solan.
Although Modi paid tribute to Batra saying "he could not stop thinking of him while on the land of martyr", he was attacked for allegedly exploiting the memory of the Kargil hero, with Batra's parents leading the charge. "BJP invoking the name is only shameless rhetoric to garner the support of Army men," said his mother.
As she accused BJP of playing politics at the cost of beheaded jawans, Vikram's father G L Batra joined in the attack, saying the NDA government's 'Operation Parakram' -- code for the buildup of troops on the Pakistan border after the 2001 terror attack on Parliament - led to the death of 798 Army men, mostly in mine blasts.
Significantly, the Batras had so far been critical of UPA for failing to safeguard the interests of soldiers and their families.
However, Modi defended himself, saying he meant no disrespect to the war hero. In a 3D telecast, he said, "When I went to Kolkata, I remembered Subhash Chandra Bose, when I went to Jhansi, I remembered Rani Laxmi Bai and today I went to Himachal Pradesh and remembered the great son of India, Vikram Batra. But when I returned to Ahmedabad, I got to know how my political rivals have distorted my statement. I was deeply hurt."
He added, "Vikram Batra is a son of India. Is it a crime to remember a martyr? Their parents have sacrificed a lot and I bow to them... What sort of a political fever is this that does not allow you to remember the martyrs of India."
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