RAIPUR: On the day of his release from jail, Amit, son of former chief minister Ajit Jogi asked Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel why the Indira Gandhi government in 1970 released a stamp of VD Savarkar. This comes after Baghel claimed Gandhi assassin Nathuram Godse to be a disciple of Savarkar.
During a two-day special session of Chhattisgarh Assembly to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Father of the Nation, Baghel had asserted that there is historical evidence of “Godse being a disciple of Savarkar”.
Referring to the CM’s remark, Amit Jogi shared a special commemorative postal stamp issued on the name VD Savarkar by the Congress government on 28 May, 1970 and asked, “Then the Prime Minister was Indira Gandhi, so does she got it released in honour of the killer of Bapu (Mahatma Gandhi)”. The design of the stamp depicts a portrait of V D Savarkar along with a picture of Cellular jail at Port Blair in the background.
The Congress retorted citing the findings of a judicial commission headed by Justice Jiwanlal Kapoor who stated that based on facts and evidence, it was found that the conspiracy for killing Gandhi was hatched by Savarkar and his group".
"Despite this Congress recognised his (Savarkar) whatever contribution in freedom movement before 1911 when he was sent to cellular jail. But issuing of such stamp on his name doesn't absolved or exonerate his collusion with the British or involved in the killing of Gandhiji", said Shailesh Nitin Trivedi, Chairman-Congress media cell.
Amit was arrested by Chhattisgarh police on September 3 for allegedly giving false information on affidavit regarding his place of birth during the 2013 Assembly elections. Both the lower and the sessions court had rejected his bail plea. After the High Court granted him bail he was released from jail on Friday.
In another statement, Jogi junior had stated that Chhattisgarh is the only state in the country where there is a liberty extended to the government servants to become a member of the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS).