Bengaluru: Police arrested three members of the National Students' Union of India (NSUI) on Tuesday for allegedly defacing a signboard on a flyover named after Hindutva ideologue Veer Savarkar in Yelahanka, Bengaluru. The incident took place on Savarkar's birth anniversary, sparking controversy.
According to police reports, the NSUI activists protested by blackening Savarkar's name on the signboard, replacing it with a banner that read 'Bhagat Singh Flyover,' and chanting 'Inquilab Zindabad' while displaying images of Bhagat Singh.
"They defaced the board with black paint. A case has been registered under the Prevention of Destruction and Loss of Public Property Act, and three individuals have been arrested. They were identified by the NSUI scarves they were wearing," a senior police officer stated. The signboard has since been restored.
R Ashoka, Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly, condemned the incident and criticised the ruling Congress. On social media platform X, he wrote, "While Veer Savarkar's photo adorned RahulGandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra in Karnataka, INC Karnataka and its affiliates continue to denigrate Veer Savarkar by defacing the signboard of Veer Savarkar Flyover in Bengaluru."
While Veer Savarkar's photo adorned @RahulGandhi's Bharat Jodi yatra in Karnataka, @INCKarnataka and its affiliates continue to denigrate Veer Savarkar by defacing the signboard of Veer Savarkar Flyover In Bengaluru.
— R. Ashoka (ಮೋದಿ ಅವರ ಕುಟುಂಬ) (@RAshokaBJP) May 28, 2024
Ashoka further criticised the Congress, stating, "The Congress has long abandoned the values of Mahatma Gandhi and Babasaheb Ambedkar, who admired Veer Savarkar. What about Indira Gandhi, who also hailed Savarkar as a great revolutionary? Has CM Siddaramaiah and DCM DKShivakumar given up on Indira Gandhi too, just because it doesn’t suit their narrow and bigoted vote bank politics?"
The flyover was named after Savarkar during the BJP's tenure.
