Savarkar pic in UP gallery sparks row

A controversy has erupted over installation of a photo of Vinayak Damodar Savarkar at the Picture Gallery of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council, which was inaugurated on Tuesday by the Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

The Congress and the Samajwadi Party have strongly objected to the picture of Savarkar finding a place at the Upper House’s Picture Gallery along with other freedom fighters and prominent leaders. A Congress MLC Deepak Singh has shot off a letter to the Chairman UP Council Ramesh Yadav demanding immediate removal of Savarkar’s photo from the Picture Gallery.

“His (Savarkar) photo at the Picture Gallery is an insult to all freedom fighters. It should be removed immediately and be placed at the

BJP office,” said the Congress MLC.

“So many controversies surround Savarkar. The entire country knows how he begged and apologized to Britishers for his release. The BJP should learn from history. His picture is nothing but an insult to our great freedom fighters,” reacted Akhilesh Yadav, the Samajwadi Party Chief.

Ignoring the opposition’s protest, the Chief Minister Yogi Aityanath, who opened the gallery on Tuesday, said that “Savarkar was a great freedom fighter who was awarded life sentence twice for his freedom struggle.”