If speaking against Veer Savarkar is antinational, then put me behind bars: Congress leader

May 31, 2022

Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], May 31 : Congress leader V Hanumanth Rao said that he has written a letter to the director of Salarjung museum in Hyderabad stating that he would like to bring to immediate attention certain facts regarding Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations organized in Salarjung Museum to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of India's Independence.
"In these celebrations, the name of former Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru was nowhere mentioned but the pictures of Veer Savarkar were adorned on the walls of the Museum. No one knows who Veer Savarkar was and what was his contribution to the struggle for Indian Independence? He was just an RSS activist", said VH Rao.
"It is nothing but suppressing the great contribution, and sacrifices of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, who underwent imprisonment to fight against British rule during the freedom struggle. As everyone knows Nehru was not just the first Prime Minister of India, but also an architect of modern India. Distortion or diversion of history cannot be tolerated anymore," he added.
He further said, "I would like to know what message you wanted to give to the next generations by altering the great history, especially the freedom movement. What was the reason behind organizing it on May 27- the exact day of the death anniversary of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. It was a great insult to the first Prime Minister of India and a well-knit conspiracy."
He sought clarity from the director whether he has done this act on his own or he received instructions from the Government of India to put Veer Savarkar's pictures and overlook the great services of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. "Prominence has not at all been given in respect of other great leaders who fought for Independence of India", Rao said.
Lastly, he demanded to display the pictures of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru along with other great freedom fighters like Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel, Mahatma Gandhi, and others within a week's time. "Otherwise, the Congress Party will chalk out and implement its action plan", he said.
"BJP is saying that if anyone speaks against Veer Savarkar then he is an anti-national. Yes, I am saying I am speaking against him. If I am anti-national arrest me and put me behind bars," he added.