Opposition Criticizes Oil Ministry Poster Featuring Savarkar and Gandhi

Quick Summary

• The Ministry of Petroleum adn Natural Gas released an Independence Day poster featuring V.D. Savarkar, Mahatma Gandhi, Subhas Chandra Bose, and Bhagat Singh with the caption: “Freedom was their gift, shaping the future is our mission.”
• Congress criticized the inclusion of Savarkar alongside gandhi as “distorting history” and accused him of being a “British mercy petitioner.”
• Congress leader K.C.Venugopal accused Prime Minister Modi’s government of elevating “traitors” like Savarkar over figures like Gandhi and sidelining other leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Patel.
• CPI(M) MP John Brittas criticized the post for allegedly undermining secularism in India’s constitution while referencing Savarkar’s ancient association with Gandhi’s assassination case (where he was acquitted).
• BJP defended Savarkar’s legacy,with its general secretary B.L. Santhosh praising his contributions to India’s freedom struggle.

Indian Opinion Analysis

The controversy surrounding the Independence Day poster underscores ongoing debates over how India remembers its historical figures and interprets its independence movement. While some view Savarkar as a patriot who contributed substantially to India’s freedom struggle,others focus on his controversial past during british rule to contest his prominence in national narratives.

This dispute highlights tensions between differing ideological perspectives in contemporary Indian politics-one that seeks inclusivity among varied freedom fighters versus one that emphasizes particular individuals’ contributions over others’. Politicization of history not only risks overshadowing collective achievements but also polarizes public sentiment on what should ideally be unifying moments like Independence Day celebrations.

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