Sanjay Raut praises Rahul Gandhi amid Savarkar row

Mumbai: After differences emerged between Rahul Gandhi and Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) over the Congress leader’s remarks on Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, Sanjay Raut on Monday was all praise for Gandhi for enquiring about his health during the ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra

Mumbai: After differences emerged between Rahul Gandhi and Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) over the Congress leader’s remarks on Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, Sanjay Raut on Monday was all praise for Gandhi for enquiring about his health during the ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra.

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After Gandhi’s controversial comments last week, Raut had said that Gandhi’s utterances on Veer Savarkar would create a rift in the MVA.

Raut however, termed Rahul Gandhi’s call to him as an act of “humanity”, Raut said, “Rahul Gandhi called and checked on me yesterday despite his busy schedule amid Bharat Jodo Yatra. He said we were concerned about your wellbeing and said, “take care, we will work together again.”

Sanjay Raut also said such gestures are rare in times of political bitterness.

“I appreciate his empathy for feeling the pain of a political colleague who has spent 110 days in jail. In times of political bitterness, such gestures are becoming rare. Rahulji is focusing on love and compassion in his yatra and is getting massive support,” he tweeted.

Raut said that Gandhi is one such person who stays connected as friends.

“Rahul Gandhi is one such person who stays connected as friends against ideological and political differences. I have friends in BJP as well, but they were happy when I was in jail, this is politics of the Mughal era,” he said.

Earlier on Thursday, while addressing a press conference in Maharashtra on the sidelines of his ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra, Rahul Gandhi, reading from a letter purportedly written by Savarkar to the British officials, claimed the Hindutva ideologue betrayed leaders such as Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Vallabhbhai Patel by signing on a letter of apology to the British before the independence of India.

“Veer Savarkar wrote to the British saying, ‘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 this letter out of fear,” Rahul said.

The Congress leader’s remarks on Thursday drew a huge backlash, with a complaint being registered against Rahul in Thane.

Sanjay Raut had said Congress leaders in Maharashtra won’t support Rahul Gandhi’s comments on Savarkar. “Coming to Maharashtra and saying things about Savarkar won’t be accepted. Congress leaders won’t support him. Bharat Jodo Yatra is against dictatorship and issues like unemployment, inflation and Congress is getting support,” Sanjay Raut said.

“Giving such a statement can cause strife in MVA. We believe in Veer Savarkar and we want to ask the fake Hinduvaadi that we are demanding Bharat Ratna for Veer Savarkar for 10 years. Even though BJP is in power, why are they not fulfilling our demands?” Sanjay Raut had asked.