Savarkar row reaches Mumbai

The controversy over unveiling Veer Savarkar’s portrait at Parliament may have died down in Delhi, but it is threatening to surface in Mumbai. Shiv Sena leader Narayan Rane today criticised the government for not discussing his demand for installing Savarkar’s portrait in the meeting of the Business Advisory Committee, but on the other hand Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray said: ‘‘We would not allow the ‘tainted hands’ of the DF government to unveil a portrait of Savarkar in the legislature.’’

While addressing a public meeting after the bhoomi pooja of the proposed ‘‘Goda-Park’’ on the banks of Godavari in Nasik, Thackeray said the Sena would not tolerate Savarkar’s portrait to be unveiled by those who had signed the release order of people like Pappu Kalani.

On the eve of the budget session, Rane said: ‘‘Now, we’ll take up the issue on the floor of the Assembly. Let the government come clean on it.’’

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Last week, Rane dashed off letters to Speaker Arun Gujarathi and CM Sushilkumar Shinde demanding Savarkar’s portrait be installed in Central Hall of the Vidhan Bhawan.

‘‘He was a great freedom fighter who spent 14 years in the Andaman jail for revolting against the British rule. The legislature must honour him,’’ Rane said in his letter.

Sources said the issue has been raked up because Sena wants to corner Shinde who has been taking a cautious stand. ‘‘Savarkar’s social reforms and his involvement in conspiracy to assasinate Gandhi were two different issues,’’ Shinde has been saying right from day one.