Maharashtra: CM Shinde leads 'Savarkar Gaurav Yatra' as hundreds join to honour Hindutva ideologue in Thane

Savarkar Gaurav Yatra: Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, on Sunday, led the 'Savarkar Gaurav Yatra' in Thane which was joined by hundreds of people to honour late Hindutva ideologue VD Savarkar.

In March, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shinde-led Shiv Sena had announced taking out 'Savarkar Gaurav Yatra' in each district of the state to acknowledge Savarkar's contribution to the country. According to reports, this came in the wake of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi'd criticism of Savarkar. 

The yatra participants, donning saffron caps with 'Mi Savarkar' (I am Savarkar) and other messages written on them, paid floral homage to the nationalist leader at the Ram Ganesh Gadkari Rangayatan auditorium in Thane city from where the yatra commenced. Notably, a tableau displaying information related to Savarkar was also part of the yatra.

Leaders participated in yatra on a makeshift 'chariot' 

Shinde and some other leaders of the ruling Shiv Sena-BJP coalition participated in the yatra on a makeshift 'chariot' and waved to citizens as the yatra moved to cover four Assembly segments in the city.

Flowers were showered on the participants as several of them moved around Thane city using more than 200 motorbikes and around 100 auto-rickshaws raising slogans in praise of Savarkar and the country.

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BJP leader Dr Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, Thane MLA Sanjay Kelkar, Thane BJP chief and MLC Niranjan Davkhare, former mayor Naresh Mhaske, Shiv Sena MLA Pratap Sarnaik and many other local leaders of the ruling coalition participated in the yatra. 

Huge hoardings of Savarkar were put up in the city, patriotic songs were played during the yatra and rangolis (colourful patterns) were made at various places. A number of women in colourful attire and carrying lezims also participated in the yatra. 

ALSO READ: 'Will file an FIR against Rahul Gandhi,' says grandson of Savarkar

Maharashtra govt announces 'Veerbhoomi Parikrama' 

It should be noted here that the Maharashtra government will also organise a 'Veerbhoomi Parikrama' from May 21 to 28 to mark the birth anniversary of Savarkar. The ruling Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress have been engaged in a war of words over Savarkar, mainly due to the opposition party's Rahul Gandhi routinely mocking the late Hindutva ideologue for "apologising" to the British to get out of jail. A grand theme park and a museum will be built in Bhagur in Nashik, where Savarkar was born on May 28, 1883, state minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha said.

(With inputs from PTI)