Anti Savarkar article in party magazine ‘Shidori’ a deliberate move
Mumbai: The controversy over derogatory article on Veer Savarkar published in Maharashtra Congress party magazine ‘Shidori’ has raised the hackles of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Many eyebrows were raised when Shiv Sena did not react to it, despite being in the line of fire for the fault of Congress. Congress party magazine ‘Shidori’ has published an article belittling Veer Savarkar calling him apologist. The article gave ammunition to BJP which attacked the government and Shiv Sena over the same.
However, it now emerges that despite strong objection by senior Congress leader in the state, the article found its way into the magazine on the orders of none other than party former president Rahul Gandhi.
Political experts see it as an attempt by Congress party to destabilize the tripod government and keep the allies on tenterhooks. Highly placed sources, close to senior Congress leadership in New Delhi said that the article when sent to state leaders was rejected due to its volatile content and Shiv Sena’s stand on Veer Savarkar. But when it was sent to Rahul Gandhi he overturned the decision.
“This is nothing new. Congress is known for such tricks to keep the allies guessing about their fate. Congress leadership is known to walk away from the government it is supporting for any miniscule reason,” said veteran journalist Ganesh Torsekar. According to him, it is the strategy of Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) to corner CM Uddhav Thackeray on issues he and his party is sentimental about. Congress leadership will leave no option for Thackeray but to react sharply and that will be blown up as reason to walk out of the government, Torsekar said.
Highly reliable sources said that state Congress leaders were against publishing the article given the stand of its ally Shiv Sena on Veer Savarkar. But the central leadership preferred to rub the ally the wrong way. Interestingly, the plan appears to have succeeded when BJP, while criticizing Congress for the article, did not spare Shiv Sena. “Congress’ stand on Veer Savarkar is well known and the party has never tried to hide it.
Albeit, leaders like Mani Shankar Aiyar and Rahul Gandhi have belittled Veer Savarkar on many occasions. Recently Congress government in Rajasthan has ordered removal of Veer Savarkar’s photos from all the schools. It was Shiv Sena which found itself at the receiving end. It is the style of Congress leadership to keep the allies gasping to breath,” Torsekar says.
