Savarkar Row: Bhupesh Baghel opposes FIR against Rahul Gandhi, says THIS

Bhupesh Baghel said all freedom fighters went to jail during freedom struggle but no one apologised to the British

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Raipur: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has raised the question of lodging an FIR against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over a remark on Veer Savarkar, stating BJP should reply to the Congress leader after he has presented the Savarkar`s letter. Baghel made the remark while talking to the media persons in Raipur on Friday, November 18, 2022. He further said all the freedom fighters went to jail during the struggle but no one apologised.

"Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak remained in Mandalay jail for 6 years, he did not apologise. Sardar Bhagat Singh was hanged and he also did not apologise. Similarly, Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Patel also did not apologise," he added.

"We have to see Savarkar in two parts, first Savarkar was a revolutionary before he went to jail, and after he came out of jail, he started continuously apologising. He also took a stipend of Rs 800 a month from the British. After being released from jail, he continued to act contrary to the revolutionary image he had. We have to see the second part in which he worked with the British. After going to jail his outlook completely changed," Baghel said.

Mahatma Gandhi`s great-grandson and writer Tushar Gandhi backed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi`s claim on Veer Savarkar and said that Savarkar had apologised to the British to move out of prison and there is evidence for the same in history.

Tushar Gandhi who joined Congress Bharat Jodo Yatra on Friday, said, "It is true that Veer Savarkar was friends with the British, he apologised to the British just to move out of prison and it is not like we have taken it from WhatsApp University, there is evidence in history."

Rahul Gandhi earlier said that Hindutva ideologue, Vinayak Damodar Savarkar used to take a pension from the British and worked against Congress.

"In Andaman jail, Savarkar wrote a letter and told the British to forgive him and release him from jail. Veer Savarkar took a pension from the British, he worked against Congress. After coming out of jail he accepted the British proposal and joined their force," he said leading to a political row.

Talking about the Bharat Jodo Yatra in Maharashtra, Tushar Gandhi said, "Yatras are part of a tradition, and have given birth to several revolutions over the years. Today when the country is moving against the construct that our forefathers set, it becomes important for people to realise that we have not given up."

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday raked up Veer Savarkar again and alleged that he betrayed leaders like M.K Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Patel by signing a letter of apology to the British before independence. 

Addressing the media here during the Bharat Jodo Yatra, Rahul Gandhi said, "Veer Savarkar, in a letter written to the British, said "Sir, I beg to remain your most obedient servant" and signed on it. Savarkar helped the British. He betrayed leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Patel by signing the letter out of fear."

Before entering Maharashtra, the Yatra has already covered parts of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana. Rahul Gandhi will travel through 15 Assembly and 6 Parliamentary Constituencies in five districts of Maharashtra and would cover a distance of 382 Kms.