Rahul says he stands by his remarks; Savarkar’s grandson Ranjit Savarkar files police complaint against the Congress leader
@the_news_21
Mumbai: Arguing that the Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (SHSUBT) did not agree with Congressman Rahul Gandhi’s comments on Hindutva ideologue Vinayak Damodar Savarkar (V D Savarkar), SHSUBT chief Uddhav Thackeray lashed out at the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), remarking that its expressions of love and respect for Savarkar were “laughable” given that the BJP’s parent body, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), had no contribution towards the Indian freedom struggle.
He further wanted to know as to why the BJP has yet not been able to give the ‘Bharat Ratna’ to V.D. Savarkar despite being in power at the Centre for eight years.
The SHSUBT chief who is part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance with the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in the State, disagreed with Rahul Gandhi’s comments on Savarkar’s mercy petitions during the British Raj even as the latter said he stood by his remarks on the Hindutva ideologue.
Speaking at Shivaji Park, Dadar on the occasion of the 10th death anniversary of his late father Shiv Sena founder, late Balasaheb Thackeray, Uddhav Thackeray remarked, “We (SHSUBT) have great love, respect and affection in our hearts for Veer Savarkar which no one can erase even if they try to do so. While we disagree with Rahul Gandhi’s comments of Savarkar, it is laughable that the offspring (the BJP) of those (RSS) who had no connection with the freedom movement, are claiming to love Savarkar. They have no right to speak on Veer Savarkar.”
The former chief minister was responding to the criticism of BJP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, after the latter criticised Rahul Gandhi’s comments on V.D. Savarkar made during the course of his ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra.’
The BJP and its ruling ally, the Eknath Shinde-led Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena (BSS), are using Rahul Gandhi’s criticism of V.D. Savarkar as a tool to hit back at the Thackeray’s faction – given that his son Aaditya Thackeray had recently participated in the Congress MP’s Yatra.
Justifying his decision to stay allied to the Congress, Thackeray said that his party, the Congress and others had come together to preserve this hard-won freedom that had been secured by Veer Savarkar’s sacrifices and to oppose the prevailing ‘dictatorship’ of the BJP.
Thackeray further remarked, “They (Fadnavis and BJP) should first question the contribution of the RSS to the freedom struggle. How many times did RSS leaders go to jail during Independence? We (SHSUBT), Congress and other parties) have come together to precisely to preserve this freedom and oppose the ‘dictatorship’ that we are heading towards…the BJP should stop asking us such questions.”
Meanwhile, speaking in Akola, Rahul Gandhi said he remained firm on his remarks that Savarkar had ‘helped’ the British while brandishing a copy of V.D. Savarkar’s mercy petition.
“He (Savarkar) wrote in it (petition) to the British authorities: ‘I beg to remain, sir, your most obedient servant.’ I am clear that Savarkarji helped the British. If Mr. Fadnavis wants to see this, he is welcome,” said the Congress leader.
The former Congress president further dared the Shinde-Fadnavis government to try and stop the ‘Bharat Jodo’ yatra if it wanted to.
Meanwhile, protests by the BJP and Shinde-faction workers against Rahul Gandhi erupted across Pune, Kolhapur, Mumbai and other places in Maharashtra following his comments against V.D. Savarkar.
Maharashtra Minister and Shinde camp spokesperson Deepak Kesarkar remarked, “I strongly doubt whether Balasaheb would have approved of his grandson hugging Rahul Gandhi during the ‘Bharat Jodo’ yatra given the latter’s insulting remarks against Veer Savarkar.”
Criticizing Rahul Gandhi of poor study of history, BJP MLA Ram Kadam alleged the Congressman was trying to make headlines by slandering V.D. Savarkar. He further remarked, “Unfortunately, while late Balasaheb Thackeray never tolerated any insult on Savarkarji, his grandson Aaditya Thackeray is hugging Rahul Gandhi who insulted the revolutionary. What kind of ideology doe Uddhav Thackeray espouse?”
Meanwhile, Savarkar’s grandson, Ranjit Savarkar accompanied by BSS Lok Sabha MP Rahul Shewale filed a police complaint against Rahul Gandhi for repeatedly defaming his grandfather during the ‘Bharat Jodo’ yatra.
Terming the Congress MPs remarks on V D Savarkar as “utterly pointless”, Ranjit Savarkar remarked, “Rahul Gandhi first ought to study history before making such false and misleading statements about Veer Savarkar. The usage of ‘your obedient servant’ was commonplace at the time when one gentleman wrote another. Even Mahatma Gandhi wrote this after his letters. By that measure, I too can say that he was beholden to the British. In fact, in one of his letters to the British authorities, Gandhiji says that no Indian has cooperated with you for 29 years as I have…So, by what Rahul Gandhi is saying, does this mean the Mahatma was close to the British?”
Meanwhile, condemning Rahul Gandhi’s remarks, Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) has said it would be protesting the Congress MP’s rally in Shegaon (in Buldhana district) on Friday by showing black flags to the Congress leader.
