by Maharashtra Deputy Prime Minister Devendra Fadnavis posted a lengthy thread on Twitter attacking Rahul Gandhi over the ongoing dispute in Savarkar sparked by Rahul Gandhi’s comments on the Hindutva ideologue. Fadnavis drew Indira Gandhi into the debate and published a letter from the former Prime Minister in 1980, in which he said: “Just read what the former Prime Minister of Inia, Mrs. Indira Gandhi (your grandmother), said about Savarkarji. Here she called Veer Savarjar ji the pillar of the freedom movement and the remarkable son of India.” Read | ‘Savarkarji helped Brits…’ says Rahul Gandhi, showing letter as evidence
Fadnavis shared a letter from Mahatma Gandhi and asked him to read the last few lines of the letter as it has the same conclusion as the letter from Savarkar, which Rahul Gandhi waved at a press meeting on Thursday and said Savarkar had helped the British. Read | ‘Not from WhatsApp Univ…’: Tushar Gandhi defends Rahul in Savarkar comment series
“I have a document that contains Savarkar’s letter to the British in which he stated: ‘I ask that you remain your most obedient servant’. This was not written by me but by Savarkar ji. Let everyone read this document ” Rahul Gandhi said. “I definitely think he helped the British,” added Rahul Gandhi. Read: Complaint filed against Rahul Gandhi over remarks on Savarkar in Maharashtra
“Rahul ji, yesterday you asked me to read the last few lines of a letter. Now let me read you some documents today. Have you read this letter from our revered Mahatma Gandhi? Does he have the same last lines you wanted me to read? ?” Fadnavis tweeted.
In his attack on Rahul Gandhi, Fadnavi shared testimonies by NCP leader Sharad Pawar, former Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao and other Maharashtra Congress leaders – on Savarkar. Read | ‘We do not condone…’: Uddhav Thackeray on Rahul Gandhi’s remarks on Savarkar
What is the Rahul Gandhi Savarkar Series?
Read In the Maharashtra section of the Bharat Jodo Yatra, Rahul Gandhi spoke about Savarkar and how he begged the British for mercy. The first time he mentioned Savarkar in relation to Birsa Munda, saying the difference between Savarkar and Birsa Munda is that Birsa Munda died fighting the British when he was 24 and Savarkar received a pension from the British.
2. On Thursday he repeated the problem and showed the British the letter written by Savarkar, in which he used the word “servant”.
3. Rahul Gandhi’s comment was not well received by Shiv Sena – both the Uddhab Balasaheb Thackeray faction and the Eknath Shinde faction.
4. While a Shinde faction Sena staffer filed a complaint against Rahul Gandhi, Uddhav Thackeray said Thursday he disagreed with Rahul Gandhi’s comment on Savarkar.
5. Shiv Sena (Uddhav faction leader), Sanjay Raut, condemned Rahul Gandhi’s remarks on Friday and said even Maharashtra Congress leaders would not agree with Rahul Gandhi’s opinion on Savarkar.
6. Since the Congress and the Uddhav Sena are part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance, the dispute over Savarkar sparks speculation in Maharashtra about the future of the alliance. However, Congressman Jairam Ramesh said that everything is fine in the alliance and he had a lengthy discussion with Sanjay Raut. “I told him that Rahul Gandhi spoke his mind and the same was true of your leadership. It has nothing to do with the MVA coalition. It’s a matter of different perspectives, views and approaches, which is also a fact. MVA was founded only three years ago and both Shiv Sena and Congress were political opponents until then. We came together on a common minimum program and formed the government. I asked him if this would weaken and destabilize the MVA, he replied in the negative,” said Jairam Ramesh.
