Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday led the ruling BJP-Shiv Sena’s ‘Savarkar Gaurav Yatra’ in Thane. The yatra comes amid the efforts by the ruling coalition to play up Congress chief Rahul Gandhi’s feedback on Veer Savarkar following his disqualification from the Lok Sabha.
Rahul, who was disqualified as an MP after being convicted within the prison defamation case over a comment utilizing the surname ‘Modi’, on March 25, had stated, “My name is not Savarkar, my name is Gandhi. Gandhis don’t apologise to anyone.”
सावरकर गौरव यात्रा | ठाणे https://t.co/kA2bkFHZ4H
— Eknath Shinde – एकनाथ शिंदे (@mieknathshinde) April 2, 2023
The BJP and ruling Maharashtra ally Sena had slammed Rahul’s remarks whereas the chief of the rival Sena camp and former CM, Uddhav Thackeray, too, voiced considerations over it.
Earlier, on March 28, CM Shinde stated insulting Savarkar was akin to insulting the folks of the nation. “Veer Savarkar`s insult by Rahul Gandhi is condemnable. He dedicated his life to the country and Rahul Gandhi is insulting him. He is also casting aspersions on our democracy on foreign soil. Insulting Savarkar means insulting people of the country,” he added.
Taking a swipe at Uddhav Thackeray for diluting the Sena`s core rules by becoming a member of arms with the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Shinde stated, “Those who used to say earlier they won`t tolerate the insult of Savarkar were wearing black bands in support of Rahul Gandhi. It`s unfortunate. They (Uddhav Thackeray) said they won`t tolerate Rahul Gandhi`s remarks. Thackeray had also warned Rahul Gandhi not to insult Veer Savarkar saying that demeaning him would create cracks in the Opposition alliance.”
“Savarkar suffered unimaginable torture in the Andaman cellular jail for 14 years. We can only read about his sufferings. It was a form of sacrifice. We will not tolerate the insult of Savarkar,” Uddhav stated.
“Veer Savarkar is our God, and any disrespect towards him will not be tolerated. We are prepared to fight, but insulting our Gods is not something we will tolerate,” he added.
Shiv Sena (UBT faction), which is a part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), additionally comprising the Congress and the NCP, skipped a dinner organised by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge for all like-minded Opposition events at his residence on Monday.
