Amit Shah, Bhagwat to visit Andamans for Savarkar statue unveiling
Amit Shah, Bhagwat to visit Andamans for Savarkar statue unveiling
Union leaders head to Port Blair to unveil Savarkar's statue and release a commemorative song, as security tightens for the high-profile event.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah and RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat are due to arrive in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands from Thursday for a high-profile Savarkar event. In Beodnabad, South Andaman, they will unveil Vinayak Damodar Savarkar's statue at around 9:30 am on December 12, and later in the evening release a commemorative Savarkar song at the Dr B R Ambedkar Institute of Technology.
Bhagwat is expected to interact briefly with Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh workers at Dollygunj in Sri Vijaya Puram, officials said. Security has been stepped up and traffic restrictions may be imposed in some areas during the visit, the official added. This will be Bhagwat's first trip to the archipelago since taking over as sarsanghchalak, nearly two decades after he visited as sarkaryavah.
Organisers, a Maharashtra-based business group, are coordinating the programme to mark the 116th anniversary of Savarkar's iconic poem 'Sagara Pran Talamala' written in 1909. Savarkar spent time jailed in the Cellular Jail in Port Blair in 1911. On December 12, the schedule includes the statue unveiling, while the evening program features the release of the Savarkar song. The Union home minister may depart the islands on the night of December 12 or the morning of December 13, officials said.
This visit underscores the continued public salience of Savarkar’s legacy in the region and highlights ongoing efforts to mark historical milestones through high-profile national figures.
Cover image source: Amit Shah, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat expected to visit Andamans for Savarkar event 🔗
