Insult of national icons won’t be tolerated, be it Gandhi or Savarkar, says Fadnavis

Congress MLA Prithviraj Chavan had demanded a motion of condemnation be admitted over Bhide’s remarks, which was rejected by Speaker Rahul Narwekar.

While speaking about the issue, Fadnavis said that a case has been registered against Bhide in Amaravati and that the police would take the voice samples of Bhide to conduct further probe.

“Bhide made an activist (of his outfit) read the controversial portion from a book ‘The Koran and the Fakir’. No video recording of that meeting but an audio clip is available. Hence police will take voice samples (of Bhide). The FIR is registered and Sambhaji Bhide has been sent a notice under CrPC 41A. Bhide has accepted the notice sent by Amravati police. An inquiry will be conducted accordingly,” Fadnavis told the House.

Bhide had allegedly made offensive statements about Mahatma Gandhi’s lineage during a speech last week.

Following protests by the Congress and NCP, an FIR was registered by the Maharashtra police against Bhide, who is yet to be arrested.

“The way Bhide has faced action for his statements against Gandhiji, similarly action will also be taken against those who are repeatedly insulting Veer Savarkar. Action will be taken against Congress mouthpiece ‘Shidori’ for insulting Savarkar,” Fadnavis told the House.

Congress and NCP leaders, including Prithviraj Chauhan, also took objection to Fadnavis for referring to Bhide as “Guruji”.

Fadnavis replied that Sambhaji Bhide is widely addressed as “Guruji” and he is indeed a “Guruji” (teacher) for him and the BJP.

“Now you are also called Prithviraj Baba, so is there any documentary proof to show that your name is Baba?,” Fadnavis said.

In the upper house too, when Congress leader Bhai Jagtap objected to Fadnavis calling Bhide “Guruji”, Fadnavis said that they call him Bhai as well.

Jagtap said that Bhai was his registered name.

Another Congress MLA Yashomati Thakur told the House that Bhide’s supporters had threatened her (for demanding his arrest).

“I assure full security for Yashomati Thakur. The person who threatened her will be traced,” Fadnavis said.

Chavan said he had also received a threat over the issue and the person was arrested, and given bail.

Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Asim Azmi said that the government is taking action against some people for keeping the status of Aurangzeb on social media, but no action was initiated against Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) leader Prakash Ambedkar for visiting the Mughal emperor’s grave in Aurangabad.

Fadnavis replied that he had appealed to Ambedkar against glorifying the Mughal emperor.

“Aurangazeb was a ruler who died in Aurangabad and was buried there. It (his tomb) is a protected monument. We are a democracy. Creating communal discord is a crime, not visiting his grave,” Fadnavis added.

Meanwhile, the opposition in the upper house walked out after raising slogans over the issue.