Former Karnataka chief minister B S Yediyurappa launched the Savarkar Rath Yatra in Mysuru on Tuesday. Incidentally, the rath yatra, organised by Savarkar Foundation, has been launched in the hometown of former chief minister Siddaramaiah, a vehement critic of freedom fighter Vinayak Damodar Savarkar.
Yediyurappa launched the rath yatra on the premises of Sri Kote Anjaneyaswami Temple, near the North Gate, Balarama Gate, of Mysuru Palace. The rath yatra will tour Mysuru, Mandya and Chamarajanagar districts till August 30. It will tour parts of Mysuru city before leaving for Srirangapatna in Mandya district.
Rajath, a convenor of the foundation, said that the rath yatra is held to propagate the principles and values propounded by Veer Savarkar.
"The contributions of Veer Savarkar for our freedom movement are undermined by a section of politicians for political reasons. He fought selflessly against the British colonisers and also inspired a lot of other freedom fighters to fight against the British," he said.
When asked about Yediyurappa's yatra, senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh told reporters in Delhi, "Everybody is free to have their own yatra. But Yediyurappa's yatra shows the very fact exactly why Congress's 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' (Unite India Yatra) is important."