BJP Threatens To Protest If Savarkar's Photo Is Removed From Karnataka Assembly

In a recent development, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) senior leader R Ashoka, who was recently appointed as the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in Karnataka, has issued a stern warning of protest if the photograph of the revered freedom fighter Vinayak Damodar Savarkar is removed from the legislative assembly in Belagavi.

Ashoka, speaking to reporters, accused the Congress administration of considering the replacement of Savarkar's image with that of the late former prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru.

Highlighting the BJP government's previous decision to install Savarkar's photo in the assembly due to his significant contributions to the freedom movement, Ashoka claimed that the Congress was planning to remove it.

He asserted that the argument for replacing Savarkar's photo with Nehru's was a subtle endorsement of hereditary politics.

"They [Congress government] argue that the photo of the late former prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru should be placed instead of Savarkar’s photo," Ashoka remarked.

Accusing the Congress government of displaying a preference for a specific lineage in Karnataka, Ashoka declared that the BJP, as the opposition, would confront the ruling government and stage a protest.

He further emphasised that the BJP would oppose what they perceived as the Congress government's communal measures, specifically mentioning the imposition of Tipu Sultan's ideologies.

The roots of this controversy can be traced back to December 2022, during the winter session's first day when the previous BJP government unveiled Savarkar's photograph in the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha. This move prompted protests from the Congress, who opposed Savarkar's inclusion in the Belagavi assembly.

The Congress, in response, unveiled images of prominent figures such as Gandhi, Subhash Chandra Bose, Sardar Patel, BR Ambedkar, Swami Vivekananda, and Basavanna, with Nehru's portrait conspicuously omitted.

Ashoka hinted at the BJP's readiness to combat what they perceive as Congress' minority appeasement through Tipu Sultan, expressing concern over the potential denigration of Savarkar by replacing his portrait with Jawaharlal Nehru's at Suvarna Vidhana Soudha.

He also suggested that Siddaramaiah, once removed from his chief minister post, might launch a party in the name of Tipu Sultan.

In response to the escalating controversy, Karnataka speaker U T Khader sought to quell concerns by stating that there is currently no proposal to remove Savarkar's photo.

"There is no such decision [to remove the photo] before the assembly. We will keep the people of the state apprised of any and every change at the assembly," Khader reassured.

The situation remains tense as political factions in Karnataka navigate this delicate issue, balancing historical legacies and ideological differences. Earlier this year in June, the Congress government in Karnataka gave a nod to remove chapters related to Savarkar from history textbooks, invoking sharp responses from the opposition parties.