BJP, Shinde-led Sena to hold Savarkar Gaurav Yatra across Maharashtra
The BJP and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena have decided to hold ‘Savarkar Gaurav Yatra’ across Maharashtra from March 30 to April 6 this year. The parties have announced that the yatra will travel through each district of Maharashtra to “honor VD Savarkar’s contribution to the country” and to counter Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s criticism against him.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state president Chandrashekar Bawankule said in Nagpur, “The yatra will commence on March 30 to cover 288 constituencies of Maharashtra and will aim at educating the youth about the contribution of VD Savarkar to our freedom movement. It will conclude on April 6, which is the Foundation Day of the BJP.”
Also read: Attacks on Savarkar will reduce people’s sympathy, Sena reminds Rahul
10-day yatra
“During the ten days of the yatra, we will cover at least two big cities or towns in each Assembly constituency. The Mumbai leg of the yatra will be coordinated by Amit Satam while Vikrant Patil and Sanjay Upadhyay have been made regional coordinators for Mumbai,” he added.
Lashing against Uddhav Thackeray, Bawankule said, “Uddhav Thackeray calmly tolerated repeated insults of freedom fighter Savarkar by the Congress to maintain the Maha Vikas Aghadi government. He clearly has given up Hindutva ideology for political gains.”
Twitter display changed
Meanwhile, many BJP and Shiv Sena leaders like rural development minister Girish Mahajan, women and child development minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha, BJP unit chief of Mumbai Ashish Shelar, Shiv Sena leader and industries minister Uday Samant, excise minister Shambhuraj Desai and health minister Tanaji Sawant changed their Twitter display pictures to the image of Savarkar and quoted ‘Mi Savarkar’ or ‘Amhi Savarkar’ (I am Savarkar).
Also read: Savarkar row: Congress to tone down attack after Pawar’s intervention
The yatra has been announced following Rahul Gandhi’s ‘I am not a Svarkar’ statement in a press conference on March 25 when asked whether he will apologise for the ‘Modi surname’ statement that led to his conviction and subsequent disqualification as MP.
