Team News Riveting
Mumbai, March 28
Following strong protest from Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress party has decided to tone down its attack on Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, a freedom fighter fondly known as Veer Savarkar.
Congress is in alliance with the Shiv Sena (UBT) and Nationalist Congress Party of Sharad Pawar. The alliance, Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA), came under strains in the over Rahul Gandhi’s strident criticism of Veer Savarkar.
During a recent press conference over his comment on India in the UK, Rahul Gandhi said he would not apologise for his comment as he was not “Savarkar”. The former Congress President had attacked Savarkar on number of occasions including Bharat Jodo Yatra.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) took a strong exception over his recent statement and conveyed it to the Congress leadership. Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray slammed Rahul Gandhi and said his outfit would not tolerate any insult of the freedom fighter.
The Thackeray faction had skipped the meeting convened by Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday as a mark of protest against Gandhi’s remarks targeting Savarkar. Former Congress President Sonia Gandhi along with Rahul Gandhi was present at the meeting.
Pawar raised the issue during the meeting and made it clear that targeting Savarkar, a revered figure in Maharashtra. Pawar told Rahul Gandhi that Savarkar had no connection with the RSS and hence targeting him was of no use in his fight against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP.
The MVA leaders claimed that Rahul Gandhi had assured that he would avoid any critical reference to Savarkar.
