Party supports Shivaji's ‘inclusive’ Hindutva: Maharashtra Congress chief

There have been tensions between the Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) over Rahul Gandhi's repeated outbursts against Hindutva ideologue Veer Savarkar.

Congress supports ‘inclusive’ Hindutva of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the party's Maharashtra unit chief Nana Patole said on Saturday, with his statement coming at a time when there have been tensions between the Congress and its ally, Shiv Sena (UBT), over Rahul Gandhi's repeated outbursts against right-wing and Hindutva ideologue Vinayak Damodar ‘Veer’ Savarkar.

Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) President Nana Patole, at Tilak Bhavan, Prabhadevi, in Mumbai, India, on Friday, February 10, 2023. (Photo by Bhushan Koyande/HT Photo)

“Shivaji's Hindutva was inclusive, and not about bearing grudges against anyone. Our stance is very clear…the Congress is with the Hindutva of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and will remain with it,” said Patole.

Hindutva, he remarked, is a ‘culture,’ adding that Shivaji took everyone along, instead of keeping grudges.

Rahul Gandhi's outbursts against Savarkar

Patole's comments come days after Rahul Gandhi, addressing a press conference in the wake of his disqualification from Lok Sabha after conviction in a criminal defamation case, said, “My name is not Savarkar, will not apologise.” Gandhi has repeatedly targeted Savarkar over letters written by the Hindutva ideologue, in which he apologised to the British to get himself out of the Cellular Jail. The former Congress chief made similar remarks in November last year as well, during the Maharashtra leg of his Bharat Jodo Yatra.

The Sena, which ideologises Savarkar, has repeatedly asked the now-disqualified MP to refrain from mocking him; Gandhi continued to mock Savarkar even after the Sena snapped ties with its ideological ally, the BJP, and joined the grand old party and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) to form the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). After the former Wayand MP's latest attack, NCP chief Sharad Pawar, considered the architect of MVA, was forced to step in to resolve the issue.

(With PTI inputs)