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.