Pune, India – February 26, 2020: The hostel room of freedom fighter Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, popularly known as Veer Savarkar, open for all in Fergussion College on his death anniversary in Pune, India, on Wednesday, February 26, 2020. (Photo by Milind Saurkar/Hindustan Times) (Milind Saurkar/HT Photo)

Mumbai: The Shinde-Fadnavis government has decided to create a tourism circuit dedicated to Hindutva ideologue Vinayak Damodar Savarkar. The circuit will comprise five places, which include his birthplace Bhagur in Nashik, his hostel room at Fergusson College, Pune, and a temple called Patit Pawan Mandir that he established in Ratnagiri district. The announcement has come months after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi slammed Savarkar for his mercy petitions to the British government.

The state tourist department has also scheduled a grand event at Bhagur to commemorate Savarkar’s death anniversary on February 26. It has also decided to develop a Savarkar theme park with a memorial and museum in the next one year.

Tourism minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha said that many people were unaware of the significance of the places in the Savarkar circuit, and the government would go all out to create awareness about them. “We will provide infrastructure and other facilities to make them tourist spots,” he said. “We will also collaborate with tour operators to add the Savarkar tourism circuit to their tour packages and will provide them with financial assistance, if necessary.

This story was originally published in hindustantimes.com . Read the full story here