Kerala: Savarkar's photo among freedom fighters in Cong 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' kicks up a row

Kochi, Sep 21 (IANS) The ongoing 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' by the Congress on Wednesday sparked a row when the picture of freedom fighter V.D. Savarkar first appeared in a huge poster which contained the pictures of several freedom fighters welcoming Congress leader Rahul Gandhi-led yatra near Aluva in Kochi in Kerala.

This incident has angered the anti-Congress camp, especially led by the CPI-M and created a furore on the social media, slamming the Congress.

Realising the traction that this news was getting on the social media after which the Congress was criticised, the party acted swiftly and displayed the picture of Mahatma Gandhi above that of Savarkar.

Incidentally, this poster appeared in the Assembly constituency of Congress legislator Anwar Sadath but the explanation that was given by the local leaders, who were entrusted with the job of putting this poster was that they had asked a local printer to neatly place the pictures of prominent freedom fighters in the country.

Once it was printed, the local leadership put it up which landed them in trouble.

Meanwhile, All India Congress Committee General Secretary Jairam Ramesh reacted to this incident by saying that it's strange to hear the CPI-M criticising the Congress when it is a known fact that in December 1989, they had joined hands with the Hindutva forces to support the V.P. Singh government.