T-shirt Controversy in Surendranagar: A major controversy has erupted in Surendranagar district after government school children were seen wearing saffron-colored T-shirts featuring Veer Savarkar during a Tiranga Yatra. The Congress party reacted strongly, accusing the BJP of spreading misinformation among children and attempting to elevate Savarkar as a national hero, sidelining iconic freedom fighters like Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel.
Congress leaders stopped a #TirangaYatra in Surendranagar and forced the school kids to remove their T-shirts because Veer Savarkar and Netaji Bose's pictures were printed on them.
Shameless family slaves tolerate only Gandhi-Nehru family members' pictures..
I hope… pic.twitter.com/7SG6bUvLqY
— Mr Sinha (@MrSinha_) August 14, 2024
Congress Outraged by Saffron T-Shirts: During Congress’ Nyaya Yatra from Chotila to Dolia, the party encountered a BJP-led Tiranga Yatra in Sangani village. Congress leaders noticed school children wearing Veer Savarkar T-shirts, sparking outrage. Congress Rashtriya Dal President Laljibhai Desai and former Chotila MLA Ritvik Makwana criticized the BJP for promoting saffron T-shirts in government schools.
Promoting Savarkar as a Hero: Former Congress MLA Ritvik Makwana accused the BJP of replacing revered freedom fighters with Savarkar in the minds of school children. He claimed that the BJP is undermining the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel to position Savarkar as a national hero. Reports suggest that around 10,000 such saffron T-shirts have been distributed in Chotila taluka.
“Would You Wear a T-shirt of Godse or Dawood?” Congress Leader Laljibhai Desai
Congress Rashtriya Dal President Laljibhai Desai criticized the principal and teachers of Sangani School for making students wear T-shirts featuring Veer Savarkar. He expressed outrage that the students’ school uniforms were replaced with saffron T-shirts bearing Savarkar’s image for the Tiranga Yatra. Desai further condemned the move, stating, “Those who conspired in Gandhi’s assassination are now promoting Savarkar with saffron T-shirts. If they give you a T-shirt of Godse or Dawood tomorrow, will you wear it?”