Hitting back at Rahul Gandhi for his Savarkar jibe at the BJP, the ruling party on December 14 said a “more appropriate” name for the Congress leader is “Rahul Jinnah” as his “Muslim appeasement” politics makes him a worthy legatee of the Pakistan’s founder. Addressing the Congress’ mega Bharat Bachao Rally at Ramlila grounds in New Delhi, Mr. Gandhi rejected the BJP’s demand for an apology for his “rape in India” barb at the Narendra Modi government, saying his name was Rahul Gandhi not Rahul Savarkar , and that he will never apologise for speaking the truth.
V.D. Savarkar is revered as Hindutva icon for the BJP but is accused by its rivals of tendering apologies to the British government to secure released from jail when India was under the colonial rule.
Targeting Mr. Gandhi, BJP spokesperson G.V.L. Narasimha Rao said, “The more appropriate name for you Rahul Gandhi is RAHUL JINNAH. Your Muslim appeasement politics and mindset makes you a worthy legatee of Mohammad Ali Jinnah, not Savarkar.”
Another party spokesperson Sambit Patra said Mr. Gandhi can never be Rahul Savarkar as Savarkar stood for “patriotism, bravery and sacrifice” while the Congress leader is somebody who spoke what Pakistan said on issues like the Citizenship Act, Article 370 and surgical strikes among others.
Also read: Savarkar’s mercy petition
Amit Malviya, the BJP IT cell head, tweeted that the former Congress president was right that he can never be Rahul Savarkar. “For once Rahul Gandhi is right. He can never be ‘Rahul Savarkar’ Veer Savarkar is a national icon, who has had a civilisational impact on India’s polity and will continue to be revered for generations to come. 5 generation of Nehru-Gandhi family can’t measure up to his legacy,” he said.
