Row over RSS leaders’ names in U’khand calendar

Copy of the controversial page. (Photo: SNS)


The Trivendra Rawat government had to face tizzy situation, in the state assembly on Friday, over a calendar published in a book of the state cultural department. Congress raised the issue of the calendar in the house and protested for including names of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.

The Congress expressed shock over ignoring names of other leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Baba Bheem Rao Ambedkar, etc.

The state assembly, at Bharadisain (Gairsain), witnessed ugly scene over giving preferences to RSS leaders in government document.

A book of the state cultural department was circulated in the house, which contained a ‘Panchang’ calendar and one full page dedicates to RSS and Hindu leaders.

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh founder Keshav Baliram Hedgewar, RSS head M. S. Golwalkar, Madhukar Dattatraya Deoras, Rajendra Singh (Rajju Bhaiya), Kuppalli Sitaramayya Sudarshan, Hindu leader Shyama Prasad Mukherjee and Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay figured in the page with heading ‘birth date of dignitaries.’

As many prominent freedom fighters failed to figure in the list, the RSS dominated list created controversy. After Congress pointed the issue, Uttarakhand tourism and culture minister Satpal Maharaj said, “Congress has not seen the calendar properly. The department has displayed photograph of prominent leaders and mentioned Gandhi Jayanti and other important dates. No discrimination was done against any.”

The seven names of RSS and Hindu leaders in the calendar caught the cultural minister on the wrong foot. The small size calendar created big controversy in the house.