'Does Rahul Gandhi have the stature to speak on Veer Savarkar?': Raj Thackeray fires salvo

Addressing party workers on Sunday, MNS chief Raj Thackeray lambasted former Congress president Rahul Gandhi for insulting freedom fighter Veer Savarkar. Maintaining that the Wayanad MP does not have the stature to question Savarkar's contribution, he highlighted that the latter tendered a fake apology to the British as part of a strategy. To buttress his point, Thackeray recalled that even Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj had opted for a tactical retreat when the situation was not conducive for confrontation and retaliated at the opportune time. 

Raj Thackeray asserted, "Do you have the stature to speak about Savarkar? Do you even know anything about him, where was he kept, what was he doing and what did he go through? He says Savarkar apologised. There is something called strategy. We will never think about that but just point out that he submitting an application. Instead of rotting inside, a person who was sentenced to 50 years of imprisonment thought that I will tender a fake apology, come out and again create a ruckus. That is called strategy. Lord Krishna's strategy tells us that it is okay to lie if something good is going to happen." 

"Shivaji Maharaj gave forts to Mirza Raja Jaisingh because of the situation at that point in time. There were financial difficulties and it was not possible to face the incoming Army. He thought that we will take back the forts at the right time. Where will these forts go? This is called strategy," he added. 

Rahul Gandhi sparks row

Addressing a rally in Maharashtra on November 15 organised as part of the Bharat Jodo Yatra, Rahul Gandhi claimed, "Someone told me that he (Veer Savarkar) wrote a book about himself. He wrote a book using another name saying how Veer (brave) Savarkar is. And used to take a pension from the British and work in collaboration with the British against Congress. About 2-3 years, 5 years after being released from jail, the country saw the real Savarkar. He wrote letters and the British said come and work against India in collaboration with us. Savarkar folded his hands and said- Yes, I am ready. I will do whatever you want."

Despite facing criticism from the BJP and many sections of society, the former Congress president doubled down on his charge. While speaking to the media two days later, he showed a copy of a purported letter written by Savarkar which read, "Sir, I beg to remain your most obedient servant". Thus, he accused Savarkar of betraying leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Patel. Interestingly, after Savarkar's demise on February 26, 1966. Indira Gandhi, who was the PM back then, described him as a "great figure of contemporary India" whose name was a byword for "daring and patriotism".