Kochi: In yet another controversy related to Rahul Gandhi’s ongoing ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra,’ the picture of freedom fighter Veer Savarkar appeared among freedom fighters in a big poster which was mean to welcome the Congress party leaders in Kerala. The poster was put up by local Congress leaders to welcome Rahul Gandhi upon his arrival in Aluva in Kerala’s Kochi.


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This incident evoked a strong response from the BJP and also angered the CPI-M leaders in Kerala and created a furore on the social media. Realising the traction that this news was getting on the social media after which the Congress was criticised, the party acted swiftly and displayed the picture of Mahatma Gandhi above that of Savarkar.


Incidentally, this poster appeared in the Assembly constituency of Congress legislator Anwar Sadath but the explanation that was given by the local leaders, who were entrusted with the job of putting this poster was that they had asked a local printer to neatly place the pictures of prominent freedom fighters in the country.


Once it was printed, the local leadership put it up which landed them in trouble. Meanwhile, All India Congress Committee General Secretary Jairam Ramesh reacted to this incident by saying that it`s strange to hear the CPI-M criticising the Congress when it is a known fact that in December 1989, they had joined hands with the Hindutva forces to support the VP Singh government.


The BJP, which considers Savarkar a hero, was quick to jump into the matter. “Veer Savarkar’s pictures adorn Congress’s Bharat Jodo Yatra in Ernakulum (near the airport). Although belated, good realisation for Rahul Gandhi, whose great grandfather Nehru, signed a mercy petition, pleaded the British to allow him to flee from Punjab’s Nabha jail in just 2 weeks,” Amit Malviya, the BJP’s I-T Cell chief, tweeted.


 



 


“Rahul ji, no matter how much you try history and the truth comes out Savarkar was Veer! Those who hide are the “kaayars”,” tweeted Shehzad Poonawalla.


 



 


It may be recalled that Congress has always criticised Savarkar, claiming that he apologised to the British instead of fighting them.