Hashtag Politics | On Rahul Bharat Jodo Yatra route, a Savarkar own goal

BJP president K Surendran said the Congress has concealed Savarkar’s picture to appease extremist forces. “Congress has once again proved that it is against the country. Rahul Gandhi’s yatra is only meant to win over the extremist elements. The yatra is sponsored by anti-national elements. Self-respecting Congress leaders and workers should come out of that party,’’ he said.

BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala tweeted: “Oops! It seems all attempts by Rahul to obfuscate history did not work! Veer Savarkar against whom Rahul has been spewing lies was exposed when his #BharatJodo Yatra in Aluva, Ernakulam carried posters of Veer Savarkar!”

Veer Savarkar’s pictures adorn Congress’s Bharat Jodo Yatra in Ernakulum (near 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. pic.twitter.com/i8KxicPl1y

— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) September 21, 2022

In another tweet, Poonawala said: “Rahul ji, no matter how much you try… history and truth comes out. Savarkar was Veer ! Those who hide are the ‘kaayars’.”

Amit Malviya, in-charge of the BJP’s national information and technology department, said that “Although belated”, it was a “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.”

Pawan Khera, the Congress’s media and publicity chairman, hit back at Malviya and said, “Typical Malaviya BS that is peddled as history. Nehru spent a total of almost ten years in jail and never ever submitted a mercy petition like Savarkar first and later Vajpayee and others.”

Responding to Khera’s tweet, Congress leader Gaurav Pandhi said: “I wonder whether this pseudo-historian is even aware of the contempt Savarkar had for the RSS. Any good biography of the man will reveal it.”

Typical Malaviya BS that is peddled as history. Nehru spent a total of almost ten years in jail and never ever submitted a mercy petition like Savarkar first and later Vajpayee and others. Let’s talk about the Bateshwar back stabbing…. https://t.co/2Kym4Znrwb

— Pawan Khera 🇮🇳 (@Pawankhera) September 21, 2022

Congress legislator Anwar Sadath, who represents the Aluva constituency, said “a party worker had committed the mistake and it (the banner) was not officially erected by the Congress”. He added: “A lot of party workers voluntarily erect such banners to welcome Rahul. The worker did not think about the politics while choosing the photographs from the web for printing. The party is not officially associated with that banner. However, the district leadership would take action against the worker,’’ he said.

Facing action over the issue, Suresh Athani, an Indian National Trade Union Congress worker of the Chengamanad constituency, was sacked.