Jairam Ramesh says, ‘Had a long talk with Sanjay Raut who refuted suggestions of any weakening within the MVA.’
@the_news_21
Mumbai: The controversy raging in the aftermath of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s comments against Hindutva ideologue V.D. Savarkar, has put his regional ally, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena faction in a spot, which has led to ambivalent voices emerging within the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance.
While Thackeray camp MP Sanjay Raut castigated Rahul Gandhi’s remarks as “unwarranted” and “embarrassing” and warned of a possible schism within the MVA, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh rushed to assure that all was well within the MVA despite the different views on Veer Savarkar of the two ideologically opposed allies – the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) and the Congress.
The Uddhav Thackeray faction has been reeling under the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) barrage of taunts for having forsaken (Sena founder) late Balasaheb Thackeray’s ‘Hindutva’ ideals, Sanjay Raut categorically stated that the Shiv Sena (SHSUBT) would never tolerate any defamatory remarks against V.D. Savarkar while stating there had been no reason for Rahul Gandhi to speak against Savarkar when his ‘Bharat Jodo’ yatra was going so well.
Sanjay Raut remarked, “At a time when Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo yatra has been getting enthusiastic response across the country, especially in Maharashtra, there was no reason for him to rake up the issue of Savarkar. It has come as a jolt not just to us but the Congress leaders in Maharashtra have received a setback. His (Rahul’s) remarks have proved embarrassing for them as well.”
The SHSUBT Rajya Sabha MP stated that Maharashtra, along with a large section of the populace in India had great respect for Veer Savarkar. Sanjay Raut advised Rahul Gandhi to stop “chewing on the past” and focus on creating a new history for the future instead.
Soon after Sanjay Raut’s remarks, senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh while speaking to media persons in Buldhana, said that he had a long talk with the Sena MP and that Sanjay Raut had refuted suggestions that his remarks (on Rahul Gandhi) would weaken the MVA.
Ramesh added, “These (Savarkar and Mahatma Gandhi) are historical personalities and there are differences in perspective and opinions in matters of history… I had a long talk with my friend Sanjay Raut, who has a completely different view on Veer Savarkar. We agreed to disagree. But Sanjay Raut has refuted the impression that the issue will weaken the MVA. It has nothing to do with MVA.”
Stating that the Sena and the Congress have long held different perspectives on the Savarkar issue, Jairam Ramesh, taking a jibe at the BJP said: “The Congress, unlike the BJP, does not believe in distorting, rewriting or reinventing history.”
“The MVA was formed only three years ago and both Shiv Sena and the Congress were political opponents before that. We came together over a common minimum program and formed the government,” said Jairam Ramesh.
Likewise, despite his criticism of Rahul Gandhi’s remarks against Veer Savarkar, Sanjay Raut targeted the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), remarking that Veer Savarkar could never be an ideal for “fake Hindutvawadis” like the BJP and its parent body – the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
The Sena RS MP questioned, “Why hasn’t the BJP awarded the Bharat Ratna to Veer Savarkar despite being in power at the Centre for so long? Is their love for Savarkar a political stunt?”
Sanjay Raut’s comments followed the line taken by Uddhav Thackeray, who, on Thursday, had disagreed with Rahul Gandhi’s remarks against Veer Savarkar but questioned the BJP and the RSS’ claim of the Hindutva ideologue by remarking that the RSS had made “no contribution towards the Indian freedom struggle.”
Justifying his decision to stay allied to the Congress, Uddhav Thackeray said that his party, the Congress and others had come together to preserve the hard-won freedom that had been secured by Veer Savarkar’s sacrifices and to oppose the prevailing ‘dictatorship’ of the BJP.
Addressing a rally in Washim district on Tuesday, Rahul Gandhi, while calling Savarkar a symbol of the BJP and the RSS, had said that he had written mercy petitions from Andaman’s Cellular Jail and later a book on himself using a different name to show how brave he was.
The Congress Lok Sabha MP from Wayand in Kerala further had alleged that Savarkar used to take pension from the British, work for them and work against the Congress. Addressing a press conference in Akola on Thursday, Rahul Gandhi said he stood by his remarks and claimed that Savarkar helped British authorities and wrote his mercy petition “out of fear.”
Ahead of the crucial civic polls in the State, Rahul Gandhi’s criticism of the controversial Vinayak Damodar Savarkar – a particularly sensitive topic in Maharashtra – has come as fresh ammunition for the ruling BJP and its ally, the Eknath Shinde-led Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena (BSS) who are using it to bombard Uddhav Thackeray’s faction which is struggling for its political survival after Eknath Shinde’s intra-party revolt which split the Sena.
The Congressman’s remarks are doubly embarrassing for Uddhav Thackeray given the ties that existed between Savarkar and Uddhav’s grandfather – social reformer, writer and influential thinker Keshav Sitaram @ Prabhodankar Thackeray – although Savarkar and Prabhodankar Thackeray’s views on ‘Hindutva’ differed sharply.
The BJP and the Shinde faction continued to reiterate the fact that Uddhav Thackeray’s son, former minister Aaditya Thackeray, had recently participated in Rahul Gandhi’s Yatra at Hingoli where the two leaders hugged each other and walked shoulder-to-shoulder.
Speaking to newspersons, Mumbai BJP city president Ashish Shelar demanded to know why Aaditya was silent on Rahul Gandhi’s comments, while remarking that insulting Savarkar was akin to insulting the ‘Marathi manoos’ (son-of-the soil).
Shelar further taunted Uddhav Thackeray by remarking that even after Rahul Gandhi’s anti-Savarkar comments, the latter did not have the strength to exit the MVA and was still deferring to the Congress and the NCP.
Other Congressmen – senior leaders Balasaheb Thorat and Manikrao Thakre among others – hastened to assure the unity of the MVA.
“While there may be differences within the alliance partners, they would be ironed-out through amicable discussion,” Balasaheb Thorat. Manikrao Thakre said there was no question of the MVA breaking up because of Rahul Gandhi’s anti-Savarkar comments.
Meanwhile, in the wake of Rahul Gandhi’s remarks, Congress and BJP workers faced-off in Pune while a defamation case was filed against the Congress MP at Thane by a local leader of the Eknath Shinde’s faction.
In Pune, hoardings dubbing Savarkar as ‘Maafiveer’ (one who signs cringing mercy petitions) were put up by Congress activists. In retaliation, BJP cadres put up counter stickers against Pandit Nehru outside the city’s Congress Bhavan.
