Advani hails Savarkar at Maharashtra day function

Undaunted by Opposition protests, the saffron brigade feels a sense of achievement for having managed to push its agenda forward. Quite appropriately, therefore, Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani said here today that the tenure of Lok Sabha Speaker Manohar Joshi would be remembered for the installation of a portrait of Veer Savarkar in the Central Hall and a statue of Shivaji in the Parliament complex.

Advani, speaking at a Maharashtra day function held at the Parliament Annexe, expressed his reverence for Savarkar by recalling how keen he was for a darshan of the Hindutva icon during his maiden visit to Mumbai after Independence.

Joshi, who presided the function organised by RS member Rajkumar Dhoot on behalf of MPs from the state, said that he became the Speaker within 10 days of his participation in a Maharashtra day function here. ‘‘People coming here progress fast. I wish Advaniji and Jaswant Singhji also move up fast.’’

Several distinguished Maharashtrians, including cricketer Sunil Gavaskar, symbiosis director S.B. Majumdar, actresses Sonali Bendre and Urmila Matondkar and physician Nitu Mandke, were honoured.