New Delhi: Hindutva ideologue Veer Savarkar’s grandson Ranjit Savarkar has threatened to file an FIR against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi if he did not apologise for his remark – “I am Gandhi, not Savarkar”.
"I will file an FIR against Rahul Gandhi if he does not apologise for his statement on Savarkar," says Ranjit Savarkar, Grandson of VD Savarkar pic.twitter.com/AKJJAbIMPc
— ANI (@ANI) March 28, 2023
The chairman of the Swatantryaveer Savarkar Rashtriya Smarak said it was sad that Savarkar’s name “was being defamed by Rahul Gandhi for political reasons”. “In Maharashtra too, politics is being done in Savarkar’s name. I request (people) not to use the name of Savarkar for their own benefit,” he said.
He said Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Sharad Pawar had a lot of respect for his grandfather, “and should ask Rahul Gandhi to apologise for all the statements he has made against him”.
He also questioned why Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray had not moved away from the Congress over the issue. All three are part of the Opposition alliance in Maharashtra.
On Saturday – soon after his disqualification from Lok Sabha — Rahul Gandhi told the media that he would not respond to the BJP’s calls for an apology for his alleged “disparaging” remarks against India during a UK trip. “My name is not Savarkar. I am a Gandhi. I won’t apologise,” he said.
Following that comment, his Maharashtra ally Uddhav Thackeray warned there would be cracks in the alliance if Rahul Gandhi continued to demean Savarkar.
“Savarkar suffered unimaginable torture in the Andaman cellular jail for 14 years. We can only read the sufferings. It is a form of sacrifice. We will not tolerate the insult of Savarkar,” Thackeray added.
Thackeray loyalist Sanjay Raut also said: “Veer Savarkar was a revolutionary, freedom fighter, social reformer. We have always respected Veer Savarkar… He should not be insulted… We have spoken to Mallikarjun Kharge (Congress President) and we will speak to Rahul Gandhi.”
Ranjit Savarkar, however, said Tuesday that Thackeray and Raut may “respect” Savarkar, but had not shown “support” yet. “Even after giving an ultimatum, the Congress has not stopped, and they (Uddhav Thackeray faction) have not separated from the party,” he added. He added they should ask their ally to apologise for his statement.
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