While speaking at the Veer Savarkar Gaurav Yatra in Mumbai on Sunday, the deputy chief minister of Maharashtra questioned Rahul Gandhi’s comprehension of Savarkar.
He said that Savarkar had been revered by Gandhi’s party leaders, including Indira Gandhi and Yashwantrao Chavan.
Rahul has often charged Savarkar with ‘apologizing’ to the British in order to escape prison. His earlier comment, “I am not Savarkar, I will not apologize,” sparked a great deal of debate within the BJP as well as with Congress-aligned groups like the Shiv Sena.
Uddhav Thackeray, a former chief minister of Maharastra and a prominent member of the Shiv Sena, was also criticized by Fadnavis for his position on the matter and urged him to do more than simply speak out. Rahul Gandhi’s tweets on Savarkar have also drawn criticism from the BJP leader, who has asked him to take them down.
“It was Savarkar who began a number of initiatives to bring about social changes when he was released from prison in the Andaman Islands and returned to Ratnagiri. Savarkar was vehemently opposed to untouchability and pushed for legislation to do so. Savarkar also built a temple where anybody, regardless of caste, may attend and worship. But, these individuals who were born into wealth refer to him as a mafiveer (mercy seeker),” Fadnavis remarked, criticizing the Congress leaders.
“You stated Veer Savarkar apologized and sent a letter to the British,” he continued. No, it is incorrect. When Savarkar was aware that the Biriths would not free him, he composed a letter. He then penned the following: “Do not free me (Savarkar), but free those inmates who did nothing against you” (the British)… Savarkar’s family, who had spent a long time in prison with him, received letters from Mahatma Gandhi stating that other inmates had been freed. Then he instructed Savarkar to inform the British that they should also free Savarkar.