Hindutva outfits like the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal are all set to step up their protest against Pyare Khan’s appointment as Maharashtra State Minorities Commission chairman.

The outfits have announced a protest outside Union Minister Nitin Gadkari’s residence, the Gadkari Wada, in the city’s Mahal area – which also houses the RSS headquarters – on Saturday demanding Khan’s removal, alleging he rose to the position due to political patronage.

Why is VHP opposing Khan?

Khan, a Nagpur-based businessman who owns a transport company, came to prominence during the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, when he spent more than Rs 85 lakh to transport over 400 metric tonnes of liquid oxygen to hospitals in and around Nagpur.

He declined an offer from the administration to reimburse the expenses, saying the assistance was his humanitarian duty during Ramzan. Gadkari helped coordinate the logistics, while Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also helped arrange tankers.…