The Hindu : Savarkar issue: Pranab, Patil 'nod' criticised

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Feb 26, 2003

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Savarkar issue: Pranab, Patil 'nod' criticised

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI FEB. 25. The approval by senior Congress leaders Shivraj Patil and Pranab Mukherjee for the installation of a Savarkar portrait in the Central Hall of Parliament has attracted strong criticism within the party.

At the Political Affairs Committee meeting this morning, the Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, asked the two leaders why the issue had not been brought to her notice, though a decision on the matter had been taken on December 5.

Several senior members raised the issue and wanted to know how the two could agree to the "preposterous proposal" to honour a person who was not only an accused in the Mahatma Gandhi assassination case, but had also "lowered" his image by his mercy petition to the British".

Several Congress leaders felt that the two had "compromised" the party's position.

There were suggestions that the party hold a protest sit-in in front of the statute of Mahatma Gandhi in the precincts of Parliament, but it was turned down.

The issue dominated the morning meeting with Mani Shankar Aiyer, Arjun Singh, Natwar Singh and Kapil Sibal questioning the wisdom of Mr. Patil and Mr. Mukherjee agreeing to the Government's suggestion to install Savarkar's portrait.

Pranab Mukherjee admitted that he had not raised any objection at the committee meeting, but was willing to accept the party's stand.

Mr. Patil said there were precedents when the portraits of political opponents like Jayaprakash Narayan were installed.

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