Respect and love Savarkar, don’t agree with Rahul Gandhi’s remarks: Uddhav Thackeray

The Sena chief, meanwhile, hit out at Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stating that the RSS was not part of India’s freedom movement and questioned the BJP why Savarkar was not awarded Bharat Ratna at a time when it speaks so much about him and freedom fighters.

“We do not agree with what Rahul Gandhi said about Veer Savarkar. We respect and love Savarkar. But before questioning us over freedom fighters and Savarkar, you (BJP) should tell us first what was the RSS’s role and contribution in the freedom fight. We were not there during the freedom fight, but the RSS was there. The organisation had no role in the freedom fight,” Thackeray said, adding that the BJP had no right to speak about Savarkar and reminded it that it had joined hands with People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Jammu and Kashmir to form the government.

“The PM has all the rights to award Bharat Ratna, when you speak so much about Savarkar, why have you not given Bharat Ratna to Savarkar yet?” Thackeray asked.

Comparing the martyrdom of tribal leader Birsa Munda with the life of Savarkar, Gandhi Tuesday said that while the latter, who is an idol of the BJP and the RSS, wrote mercy petitions to the British, Congress idolises Munda, who faced death without losing his pride.

Gandhi’s comment invited the wrath of the BJP and Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s faction of Shiv Sena.

On Wednesday, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis of the BJP hit out at Shiv Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray for joining Bharat Jodo Yatra at a time when Gandhi was allegedly bad-mouthing Savarkar.

Rahul Shewale, MP from the Shinde faction, demanded Wednesday that Bharat Jodo Yatra should be stopped in Maharashtra itself for Gandhi’s “objectionable comments” against Savarkar.

Shewale said, “as Bal Thackeray had started ‘Jode Maro Andolan’ (beat up with shoes) against Congress’s Mani Shankar Iyer over his comments against Savarkar, I appeal that similar protests should start against Rahul and his yatra stopped in the state”.

Shewale made the demand to Shinde and Fadnavis at a lecture series at Dadar’s Veer Savarkar Memorial hall in Dadar on the eve of Bal Thackeray’s death anniversary.