Mumbai: Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Tuesday said that Maharashtra will celebrate May 28 – the birth anniversary of Hindutva leader Vinayak D Savarkar– as ‘Swatantraveer Gaurav Day’.
Savarkar was born in Bhagur, Nashik, on May 28, 1883, and passed away on February 26, 1966, in Mumbai. Next month will mark his 140th birth anniversary.
Events to be organised to highlight Savarkar’s contribution
Shinde said that to commemorate the occasion, many events will be organised to highlight Savarkar’s contribution to India’s freedom movement, propagate his ideology, and focus on his campaigns for social reforms and abolition of untouchability.
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Proposing the ‘Swatantraveer Guarav Day’, Industrial Minister Uday Samant said that Savarkar played a major role in Maharashtra politics and tributes would be paid to his patriotism, courage and progressive thinking.
The Opposition Shiv Sena (UBT) has demanded that the ruling Shinde Shiv Sena-BJP government should call upon the BJP at the Centre to confer the Bharat Ratna on Savarkar.
The Congress, including senior leaders like Rahul Gandhi, has adopted a critical stance vis-a-vis Savarkar’s role during the Independence struggle, while the Nationalist Congress Party has maintained a neutral position in view of the strong public sentiments.
With inputs from agencies
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