Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi’s latest attack on Hindutva ideologue V. D. Savarkar may have pushed the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance on the brink, with several leaders of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena faction publicly questioning the need to continue with the MVA in whch the Congress is a constituent along with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).
Thackeray loyalist and Rajya Sabha member, MP Sanjay Raut, censured Mr. Gandhi and called his remarks as “unwarranted” and “embarrassing” that could have a possible impact on the MVA.
Congress communication chief Jairam Ramesh, however, tried to play it down by claiming that the Savarkar row merely reflected the different perspectives of two ideologically opposed allies, the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray faction) and the Congress.
The issue also saw competitive politics as a member of Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena faction filed a police complaint against Mr Gandhi for making deogatory renarks against the Hindutva ideologue.
With the Uddhav faction reeling under the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) taunts of having forsaken (Sena founder) Bal Thackeray’s ‘Hindutva’ ideals, Mr. Raut categorically stated that the Shiv Sena (UBT) would never tolerate any defamatory remarks against V.D. Savarkar while stating there had been no reason for Mr. Gandhi to speak against Savarkar when his ‘Bharat Jodo’ yatra was doing so well.
“At a time when Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra has been getting enthusiastic response across the country, especially in Maharashtra, there was no reason for him to rake up the issue of Savarkar. It has come as a jolt not just to us but the Congress leaders in Maharashtra have received a setback. His [Rahul’s] remarks have proved embarrassing for them as well,” said the Rajya Sabha MP.
Maharashtra, along with a large section of the populace in India had great respect for Veer Savarkar, Mr. Raut asserted, while advising Mr. Gandhi to stop “chewing on the past” and focus on creating a new history for the future instead.
Soon after Mr. Raut’s remarks, Mr. Ramesh, speaking at a press conference in Buldhana, said that he had a long talk with the Sena MP and that Mr. Raut had refuted suggestions that his remarks (on Mr. Gandhi) would weaken the MVA.
“These [Savarkar and Mahatama Gandhi] are historical personalities and there are differences in perspective and opinions in matters of history… I had a long talk with my friend Mr. Raut, who has a completely different view on Veer Savarkar. We agreed to disagree. But Mr. Raut has refuted the impression that the issue will weaken the MVA. It has nothing to do with MVA,” Mr. Ramesh said.
Stating that the Sena and the Congress have long held different perspectives on the Savarkar issue, Mr. Ramesh, taking a jibe at the BJP said: “The Congress, unlike the BJP, does not believe in distorting, rewriting or reinventing history.”
“The MVA was formed only three years ago and both Shiv Sena and the Congress were political opponents before that. We came together over a common minimum program and formed the government,” said Mr. Ramesh.
Likewise, despite his criticism of Mr. Gandhi’s remarks against Savarkar, Mr. Raut targeted the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), remarking that Veer Savarkar could never be an ideal for “fake Hindutvawadis” like the BJP and its parent body – the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
“Why hasn’t the BJP awarded the Bharat Ratna to Veer Savarkar despite being in power at the Centre for so long? Is their love for Savarkar a political stunt?” questioned Mr. Raut.
The MP’s comments followed the line taken by Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, who, on Thursday, disagreed with Mr. Gandhi’s remarks against Savarkar but questioned the BJP and the RSS’ claim of the Hindutva ideologue by remarking that the RSS had made “no contribution towards the Indian freedom struggle.”
Justifying his decision to stay allied to the Congress, Mr. Thackeray said that his party, the Congress and others had come together to preserve the hard-won freedom that had been secured by Veer Savarkar’s sacrifices and to oppose the prevailing ‘dictatorship’ of the BJP
Addressing a rally in Washim district earlier this week, Mr. Gandhi, while calling Savarkar a symbol of the BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), had said that he had written mercy petitions from Andaman’s Cellular Jail and later a book on himself using a different name to show how brave he was.
The Congress MP from Wayand further alleged that Savarkar used to take pension from the British, work for them and work against the Congress. Addressing a press conference in Akola on Thursday, Mr. Gandhi said he stood by his remarks and claimed that Savarkar helped British authorities and wrote his mercy petition “out of fear.”
Ahead of the crucial civic polls in the State, Mr. Gandhi’s criticism of the controversial Vinayak Savarkar – a particularly sensitive topic in Maharashtra – has come as fresh ammunition for the ruling BJP and its ally, the Eknath Shinde-led Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena who are using it to bombard Mr. Thackeray’s faction which is struggling for its political survival after Mr. Shinde’s intra-party revolt which split the Sena.
The Congressman’s remarks are doubly embarrassing for Mr. Thackeray given the ties that existed between Savarkar and Uddhav’s grandfather – social reformer, writer and influential thinker Keshav Sitaram ‘Prabhodankar’ Thackeray – although Savarkar and Prabhodankar Thackeray’s views on ‘Hindutva’ differed sharply.
The BJP and the Shinde faction continued to reiterate the fact that Uddhav Thackeray’s son, former Minister Aaditya Thackeray, had recently participated in Mr. Gandhi’s Yatra at Hingoli where the two leaders hugged each other and walked shoulder-to-shoulder.
Speaking in Mumbai, BJP city president Ashish Shelar demanded to know why Aaditya was silent on Mr. Gandhi’s comments, while remarking that insulting Savarkar was akin to insulting the ‘Marathi manoos’ (son-of-the soil).
Mr. Shelar further taunted Uddhav Thackeray by remarking that even after Mr. Gandhi’s anti-Savarkar comments, the latter did not have the strength to exit the MVA and was still deferring to the Congress and the NCP.
Other Congressmen—senior leaders Balasaheb Thorat and Manikrao Thakre among others—hastened to assure the unity of the MVA.
“While there may be differences within the alliance partners, they would be ironed-out through amicable discussion,” Mr. Thorat. Mr. Manikrao Thakre said there was no question of the MVA breaking up because of Mr. Gandhi’s anti-Savarkar comments.
Meanwhile, in the wake of Mr. Gandhi’s remarks, Congress and BJP workers faced-off in Pune while a defamation case was filed against the Congress MP at Thane by workers of Mr. Shinde’s faction.
In Pune, flex boards dubbing Savarkar ‘Maafiveer’ (one who signs cringing mercy petitions) was put up by Congress activists. In retaliation, BJP cadre put up counter stickers against Pandit Nehru outside the city’s Congress Bhavan.
