BIG embarrassment for Rahul Gandhi, Uddhav Thackeray DISAPPROVES his remarks on Veer Savarkar

Veer Savarkar Row: Uddhav Thackeray has said, "We do not approve of Rahul Gandhi's remarks on Savarkar. We have immense respect and faith for Swatyantra Veer Savarkar and it cannot be erased.”

Mumbai: Former Maharashtra chief minister and Shiv Sena (Uddhav) president Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday said his party has "immense respect'' for Veer Damodar Savarkar and that he does not approve Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's remarks on the freedom fighter. Talking to reporters here, Thackeray also asked why the Centre has not conferred the Bharat Ratna on Savarkar.

It may be noted that Thackeray-led Shiv Sena faction has an alliance with the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party, as part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi.

During a rally in Washim district on Tuesday organised as part of his Bharat Jodo Yatra, Rahul Gandhi had claimed that Veer Savarkar is a symbol of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). “He was jailed in Andaman for two-three years. He started writing mercy petitions,” the Congress MP had said.

The former Congress president had claimed Savarkar wrote a book on himself with a different name and highlighted how brave he was. “He used to take pension from the British, work for them, and work against the Congress,” Gandhi had said.

सावरकर जी ने अंग्रेजों की मदद की। उन्होंने अंग्रेजों को चिट्ठी लिखकर कहा - सर, मैं आपका नौकर रहना चाहता हूं।

- श्री @rahulgandhi pic.twitter.com/1sKszyDXR0 — Congress (@INCIndia) November 17, 2022

Reacting to it, Uddhav Thackeray said, "We do not approve of Rahul Gandhi's remarks on Savarkar. We have immense respect and faith for Swatyantra Veer Savarkar and it cannot be erased.”

Hitting back at Rahul Gandhi, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis alleged that he and Congress are “spreading distorted history” about Savarkar, “but the people of Maharashtra will teach them a lesson”.

"I want to know how many Congress leaders went through suffering like Savarkar for 11 years. Despite such prolonged torture, he sang song of freedom," said Fadnavis, reacting to Gandhi's critical comments on the freedom fighter during his Bharat Jodo Yatra. Gandhi does not know anything about Savarkar, he added.

Fadnavis also attacked Uddhav Thackeray, saying he has no right to take Bal Thackeray's name. “Balasaheb Thackeray took Savarkar's Hindutva ideology forward all his life. He attacked the people demeaning Veer Savarkar. Unfortunately, leaders from his family participated in Rahul Gandhi's Yatra.”

(With Agency Inputs)