E-Paper
Rahul Gandhi's 'hai himmat?' dare amid Savarkar row; 'Stop your Mann ki Baat'
Rahul Gandhi on Friday skipped any mention of ‘Savarkar’ as he addressed a public meeting but targetted ‘Mann ki Baat’.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday said the BJP can't see the atmosphere of fear and hatred because they never come to the street to interact with the people. "Pradhan Mantri ji, stop your Mann ki Baat and start listening to the pain of the common people. Hai himmat?" Rahul Gandhi said as he addressed a public meeting at Shegaon in Maharashtra. Also Read | Sanjay Raut says Rahul Gandhi's Savarkar comment won't be accepted, Jairam Ramesh says all is well in alliance
BJP turns fear into hatred, Rahul Gandhi said adding that if the prime minister and the Maharashtra chief minister start listening to the words of the farmers, no farmer will commit suicide. Read | 'Rahul Ji, you now read these': Fadnavis drags Indira Gandhi to Savarkar row
A huge political controversy erupted over Rahul Gandhi's recent comments on Savarkar which irked Congress's alliance partner Sena (Uddhav faction) in Maharashtra. A defamation complaint has been filed against Rahul Gandhi by a Sena leader of the Eknath Shinde faction. Deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis attacked Rahul Gandhi for his Savarkar comment and citing a letter he said Indira Gandhi called Savarkar the remarkable son of India.
Uddhav Thackeray and Sanjay Raut expressed their disapproval of Rahul Gandhi's criticism of Savarkar which triggered speculation of cloud over the future of the alliance.
Sanjay Raut said there was no reason for Rahul Gandhi to raise the issue of Savarkar in Maharashtra -- Savarkar's birthplace. This could lead to cracks in the Maha Vikas Aghadi as the Sena idolises Savarkar, Sanjay Raut said.
What Rahul Gandhi said on Savarkar
Rahul Gandhi in his speeches during the Bharat Jodo Yatra in Maharashtra said Savarkar apologised to the British and took a pension from them and that he also helped the British against the Congress. In support of his statements, he produced a letter written by Savarkar in which Savarkar had used the word 'servant'.
Mahatma Gandhi's great-grandson Tushar Gandhi supported Rahul Gandhi's statement and said it is true that Savarkar was friends with the British and it is not taken from 'WhatsApp university'.
