Statement issued by Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu, Presidents, BJP

The boycott by the Congress and Left Parties of the function of unveiling of the portrait of Swatantryaveer Vinayak Damodar Savarkar by the Hon'ble President of India in the Central Hall of Parliament today is atrocious and condemnable. It is an insult to the memory of the great son of the motherland and also it is an insult to the freedom movement itself. The decision of the Congress and the Left is part of their vote bank politics and also an after thought. They were a party to the decision and now they say it was a mistake. What is more objectionable is the reason they have cited for boycotting the function.

Shri Savarkar was a great freedom fighter, was an illustrious son of India, and lakhs of people drew inspiration from him. The Congress and the Left have done immense harm by boycotting and making absurd charges against him. Shri Savarkar was hailed by one and all right from the then Presidents of India, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, Dr. S. Radhakrishnan and Shri C. Rajagopalachary and even Communist leaders like Shri S.A. Dange. Congress Prime Ministers like Smt. Indira Gandhi had also praised him for his contribution for the cause of the nation. The Congress will incur the wrath of the people for joining hands with Communists in denigrating the great son of this country. There is nothing to comment about the Communists as they have always been on the wrong side.

Here is what the great historian Shri R.C. Mazumdar wrote in his 'History of the Freedom Movement in India' :-

"During the great national upsurge of 1942, the Communists acted as stooges and spies of the British Government. Mr. Joshi the then General Secretary of the Party written a letter in which he offered 'unconditional help' to the then Government of India and the Army GHQ to fight the 1942 underground workers and the Azad Hind Fauz (INA) of Subhas Chandra Bose... Joshi's letter revealed that the CPI was receiving financial aid from the British Government, had a secret pact with the Muslim League..."

(Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi)
General Secretary & Spokesman