‘Quit MVA over Savarkar insult if you have the courage’: Shinde’s challenge to Thackeray

Condemning Gandhi for his statement on Savarkar, Shinde and Fadnavis announced that the BJP and the Shinde Sena will organise ‘Savarkar Gaurav Yatra’ through every district and constituency of Maharashtra “to honour his contribution to the freedom struggle”.

“It was people like Savarkar because of whom India attained its freedom. We all, including Rahul Gandhi, enjoy this freedom because of them. And despite that, he (Rahul) has been repeatedly and purposely insulting Savarkar. We condemn him,” said Shinde.

Not missing the opportunity to target his former boss Thackeray, Shinde said, “When Balasaheb was alive, he beat the poster of (Congress leader) Mani Shankar Aiyer with shoes for insulting Savarkar. Will he (Uddhav) do the same to Rahul now?”

Questioning Thackeray’s warning to Gandhi during the Malegaon rally on Sunday, where the Sena (UBT) chief said Savarkar’s insult won’t be tolerated, Shinde asked what he will do if he cannot tolerate the insult.

The Congress, meanwhile, challenged the state’s ruling parties to hold rallies wherever they want. “After reading the script handed to him by Fadnavis, Shinde has exposed himself. He should read the writings by Savarkar about Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj and tell us whether he approves it. We are ready to welcome the rallies which we will ideologically oppose at every venue,” said state Congress chief spokesperson Atul Londhe.

The Shiv Sena (UBT), the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) are part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance in Maharashtra.

At a recent press conference in Delhi, Gandhi, when asked if he would apologise for his remarks on Modi’s surname for which he has been sentenced to two years of imprisonment, the Congress leader said that his surname was not Savarkar. He was referring to the mercy petitions filed by Savarkar with the British seeking release from jail.