The Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha (ABHM), on the occasion of freedom fighter and Hindutva icon Veer Savarkar’s 135th Birth Anniversary, prodded the Modi government to replace Gandhi’s picture with his, on the Indian currency notes, as reported by ANI.
The Hindu Mahasabha has justified this demand by asserting that Savarkar played a major role in Indian independence movement. Such a demand comes after the chief of Hindu Mahasabha – Swami Chakrapani, had sought a Bharat Ratna for Savarkar.
As per a Patrika report, this demand was made during a Hindu Mahasabha program at Faizabad in Uttar Pradesh. The event began with the Hindu group’s volunteers from the region, cleaning Savarkar’s statue on Pushparaj square. Following this, the national spokesperson of the Mahasabha Manish Pandey garlanded the statue.
While speaking at the occasion, Pandey recounted how Savarkar played a crucial role in helping India gain independence from the British, while never losing hope in hazardous conditions. He thus claimed that Savarkar’s thoughts and attitude could become a major motivation for today’s youths.
During the same speech, he expressed disappointment over post-Independence governments not giving proper respect to his deeds and ideas. He thus claimed that Savarkar should be known as the “Father of the nation” and it was highly unfortunate that he hasn’t yet been awarded the Bharat Ratna or seen his face inscribed on Indian currency notes.
As per a One India report, the Mahasabha and its national president Swami Chakrapani had been in the news recently after the latter had described the Aligarh Muslim University as a “mini-Pakistan” over the whole Jinnah portrait row.
Even though on one hand groups like the Hindu Mahasabha (which was co-founded by Savarkar himself), hold the Hindutva icon in reverence, the leftist establishment, on the other hand, holds him in deep contempt and hatred.
We had reported how this hate includes maligning Savarkar by spreading malicious lies and viciously attacking their own brethren if they dared to make statements praising him.
