Savarkar among 3 portraits cleared for Delhi Assembly

The decision followed a proposal submitted by committee member and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Abhay Verma

The General Purposes Committee of the Delhi Assembly, chaired by Speaker Vijender Gupta, on Wednesday unanimously adopted a proposal to honour three national icons—Veer Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, Maharshi Dayanand Saraswati, and Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya—by installing their portraits in the Delhi Vidhan Sabha premises.

The committee said the resolution recognised the trio’s contributions to India’s freedom struggle, social reform, and educational renaissance. (ANI)

The decision followed a proposal submitted by committee member and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Abhay Verma.

The committee said the resolution recognised the trio’s contributions to India’s freedom struggle, social reform, and educational renaissance.

“The unanimous decision taken by the General Purposes Committee not only pays tribute to the immense contributions of Veer Savarkar, Maharshi Dayanand Saraswati, and Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya, but also reflects the Assembly’s collective resolve to preserve democratic ideals and promote a deep-rooted sense of national pride, cultural heritage, and civic responsibility among the people of Delhi,” speaker Gupta said.

The committee observed that the Assembly has historically honoured prominent freedom fighters by displaying their portraits and that the inclusion of Savarkar—whose role in the freedom struggle is well acknowledged—was “both respectful and appropriate”.

However, the meeting also led to a political flashpoint, with Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders alleging that the BJP had blocked a proposal to install a portrait of Savitribai Phule, who they claimed was the country’s first woman teacher and a pioneering social reformer.

The AAP claimed that two of its MLAs, who are also members of the General Purposes Committee, submitted the proposal during the meeting, but it was not passed as the BJP members refused to support it.

Leader of Opposition and former Delhi chief minister Atishi criticised the BJP in a post on X: “Today, in the meeting of the ‘General Purpose Committee’ of the Delhi Legislative Assembly, two MLAs of AAP proposed that a picture of Savitribai Phule be put up in the Legislative Assembly. But the BJP did not allow this proposal to be passed. Why? Because BJP is anti-Dalit, anti-women and anti-education.”

At a press conference held later on Wednesday, AAP MLAs Kuldeep Kumar, Veer Singh Dhingan and Chaudhary Zubair Ahmad reiterated the allegation.

“Mata Savitribai Phule dedicated her life to educating women and opening the first school for girls in the country,” said Kumar, stressing the historical importance of including her portrait in the Assembly. MLAs from AAP also questioned the BJP’s commitment to gender and social equity.

Officials from the Assembly secretariat, however, stated that no formal written proposal was submitted by AAP MLAs during the meeting.

“The members in question only offered verbal suggestions, which were duly noted as part of the routine deliberations,” said an official aware of the development.

The Speaker, they added, has taken cognisance of the public statements made by AAP MLAs to the media, which he believes may be “misleading and not reflective of the actual proceedings” and will decide on any further action.