Karnataka government removes Savarkar portrait, sparks controversy

The Karnataka Congress government has decided to remove the portrait of Vinayak Damodar Savarkar from Belagavi’s Suvarna Soudha, a move that has drawn criticism. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah questioned Savarkar’s contributions to India’s freedom struggle. Savarkar’s grandson, Ranjit Savarkar, condemned the decision, calling it an insult to the freedom fighter. The removal comes after protests in 2022 when the BJP government installed the portrait. The opposition BJP is expected to oppose this move during the ongoing winter assembly sessions.