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Tag: Veer Savarkar

  • ‘You idiot…’: Raj Thackeray slams Rahul Gandhi over Savarkar remark

    By ANI

    MUMBAI: Coming down hard on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his remarks on Veer Savarkar, Maharashtra Navirman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray on Sunday called him ‘gadha’ (idiot).

    Addressing a rally in the state on Sunday, he attacked the former Congress national president, saying, “You Idiot. What is your standing to speak on Savarkar, who was lodged in jail and went through so much pain?”

    Quoting an excerpt from a letter purportedly written by Savarkar to the British Raj, Rahul had claimed the saffron ideologue begged to be forgiven by the Empire, thereby betraying the likes of Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

    “Veer Savarkar wrote to the British saying, ‘Sir, I beg to remain your most obedient servant’, and signed on it. Savarkar helped the British. He betrayed leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, and Sardar Patel by signing this letter out of fear,” he had said.

    Rahul’s remarks drew a huge backlash, with a complaint being registered against Rahul at Thane Nagar police station.

    In his reponse to Rahul’s remark, Thackeray on Sunday said what Savarkar did was part of his ‘strategy’.

    “There is something called ‘strategy’. Even ‘Krishna Niti’ says that ‘Sar salamat to pagdi pachaas’. Shivaji Maharaj also gave away the forts he held to Mirza Raje. They weren’t gifts but a strategy,” the MNS chief said.

    He added that there is no point in fighting over leaders and luminaries of the past.

    “I am saying this to both BJP and the Congress. There is no point in defaming the legacy of our past leaders like Pandit Nehru and Indira Gandhi. There are many issues in the country like unemployment and security to fight for,” Thackeray said.

    He also advised Rahul to “get ready for the BMC polls”.

    MUMBAI: Coming down hard on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his remarks on Veer Savarkar, Maharashtra Navirman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray on Sunday called him ‘gadha’ (idiot).

    Addressing a rally in the state on Sunday, he attacked the former Congress national president, saying, “You Idiot. What is your standing to speak on Savarkar, who was lodged in jail and went through so much pain?”

    Quoting an excerpt from a letter purportedly written by Savarkar to the British Raj, Rahul had claimed the saffron ideologue begged to be forgiven by the Empire, thereby betraying the likes of Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

    “Veer Savarkar wrote to the British saying, ‘Sir, I beg to remain your most obedient servant’, and signed on it. Savarkar helped the British. He betrayed leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, and Sardar Patel by signing this letter out of fear,” he had said.

    Rahul’s remarks drew a huge backlash, with a complaint being registered against Rahul at Thane Nagar police station.

    In his reponse to Rahul’s remark, Thackeray on Sunday said what Savarkar did was part of his ‘strategy’.

    “There is something called ‘strategy’. Even ‘Krishna Niti’ says that ‘Sar salamat to pagdi pachaas’. Shivaji Maharaj also gave away the forts he held to Mirza Raje. They weren’t gifts but a strategy,” the MNS chief said.

    He added that there is no point in fighting over leaders and luminaries of the past.

    “I am saying this to both BJP and the Congress. There is no point in defaming the legacy of our past leaders like Pandit Nehru and Indira Gandhi. There are many issues in the country like unemployment and security to fight for,” Thackeray said.

    He also advised Rahul to “get ready for the BMC polls”.

  • Veer Savarkar sang Sant Tukaram’s abhangs in jail, says PM Modi

    By PTI

    DEHU: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said Hindutva ideologue Veer Savarkar sang abhangs (devotional poetry in praise of Lord Vitthal) of Sant Tukaram while in jail during India’s freedom struggle.

    “While in jail, Veer Savarkar used his handcuffs like the chipli (a musical instrument) of Sant Tukaram and sang his abhangs,” Modi said.

    He was addressing a gathering of warkaris (devotees undertaking the pilgrimage to Lord Vitthal temple at Pandharpur), after inaugurating a shila (rock) temple at the Sant Tukaram Maharaj Mandir dedicated to the 17th-century saint at Dehu near Pune.

    Modi also interacted with the warkaris during his visit, which comes ahead of the annual ‘wari’ pilgrimage which will commence on June 20 from Dehu. The Prime Minister was also presented with a special headgear, the Tukaram pagdi, on the occasion.

    Lauding Sant Tukaram, a prominent figure in the Bhakti movement, Modi said he played an important role in the life of a ‘Rashtra Nayak’ like Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

    Built with a special type of Rajasthani stone, the Shila temple is a temple dedicated to a slab of stone on which Sant Tukaram had meditated for 13 days. Warkaris offer prayers at the Shila temple before starting their pilgrimage to Pandharpur.

    A new idol of Sant Tukaram has also been installed in the temple near the ‘Shila Mandir’. Sant Tukaram was famous for his devotional poetry known as abhang and spiritual songs known as kirtan. His works are central to the warkari sect in Maharashtra.

    Dehu, on the banks of the Indrayani river, is the birthplace of the poet saint.

    Modi said the construction of Sant Dnyaneshwar Maharaj and Sant Tukaram Maharaj palkhi marg will be completed in five phases and Rs 11,000 crore will be spent to construct the 350-km (Alandi-Dehu-Pandharpur) highway.

    Modi said Sant Tukaram had meditated for 13 days by sitting on the shila (rock) to bring the Vedas back. “It is not just a shila but is the foundation stone of bhakti (devotion) and dnyan (realisation),” he said.

    We are proud that India is one of the oldest living civilizations in the world and the credit goes to sants and sages, he said.

    “India is a land of sants and in every period, some great souls came to give directions to the society. Today when the country is going ahead based on our cultural values, the ‘abhangs’ are showing us the path and inspiring us,” he added.

    The PM said Sant Tukaram used to say that discrimination among humans is a big sin.

    “This message is not only important for Bhagwat bhakti, but also Rastra bhakti (patriotism) and Samaj bhakti (service to society). With these messages, our ‘warkari’ brothers and sisters set on the journey to Pandharpur every year,” he said referring to ‘Wari’.

    With this message, the country is moving forward with the concept of ‘sabka sath, sabka vikas, sabka vishwas and sabka prayas’.

    The PM said that along the lines of ‘warkaris’, the country is also progressing with the empowerment of women.

    “The wari has been a symbol of equal opportunities as women warkaris also walk side by side with their male counterparts with the same zeal and zest. Similarly, the government is also providing the benefits of welfare schemes to everyone without discrimination,” he said.

    He added the welfare of Dalits, backwards, tribals, and the poor is the priority of the country.

    Modi said a true saint’s identity is that he strives for the welfare of the last person and this is the resolve of our ‘antyoday’ yojana.

    The PM said various yatras in the country are the sources of power for the social and spiritual progress.

    “With these yatras, we keep the concept of ‘Ek Bharat Shresth Bharat’ alive. These yatras connect the diversity of our country. To strengthen the unity of our country, we should keep our ancient identity alive,” he added.

    The PM also said technology and infrastructure are becoming synonymous with India’s progress, “we are ensuring that heritage and development go hand in hand”.

    Referring to scriptures, he said ‘satsang’ of sants is the rarest privilege in human life. “If the grace of sants is felt, then the realisation of God automatically takes place. Coming to this holy pilgrimage land of Dehu today, I am feeling the same,” he said.

    He also said a pledge should be taken to keep cleanliness in every sphere of life. “These national pledges should become part of spiritual pledges,” the PM added even as he demanded a push for natural farming and the popularisation of Yoga and Yoga Day.

  • Shiv Sena has no right to speak on Savarkar, says Devendra Fadnavis

    By PTI

    THANE: The Shiv Sena has no right to speak on Veer Savarkar as it had allied for the sake of power in Maharashtra with those parties that routinely insult and abuse the freedom icon, said senior BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis.

    He was speaking at a function in Dombivali in Thane district on Thursday night.

    He also said there was need for a mass awakening among the people of the country to save Hinduism, adding that parties like the Shiv Sena, which have become “shameless” for power, could never be part of such an effort.

    “The Shiv Sena used to demand Bharat Ratna for Veer Savarkar and now they are sitting with parties that routinely abuse and insult him. They have no right to speak about Veer Savarkar,” he said.

  • Veer Savarkar had sought general amnesty for all political prisoners, says his grandson

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Amid a heated political exchange over Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s remarks on mercy petitions of Veer Savarkar, the latter’s grandson Ranjit Savarkar on Wednesday said the freedom fighter had sought a general amnesty for all the political prisoners.

    He also said that had the freedom fighter apologised to the British he would have been given some post.

    Ranjit Savarkar also said that one person like Mahatma Gandhi cannot be called the Father of the Nation as thousands of people had contributed towards the creation of the country which has a history of over 5,000 years.

    “Thousands of people have contributed towards the creation of this nation which has a history of more than 5,000 years.

    I don’t think Mahatma Gandhi is the Father of the Nation,” he told reporters in Mumbai.

    Responding to a query, Ranjit Savarkar said no one is demanding that Veer Savarkar be called the Father of the Nation because this concept itself was not acceptable to him.

    “My grandfather had sought a general amnesty for all the political prisoners.

    If he had really apologised to the British, he would have been given some post,” he said.

    Speaking at a function in Delhi on Tuesday, Rajnath Singh said that it was on Mahatma Gandhi’s request that Veer Savarkar wrote mercy petitions to the British and people from the Marxist and Leninist ideology wrongly accuse him as a fascist.

    On Wednesday, some opposition leaders attacked Rajnath Singh, alleging that he was “trying to rewrite history”.

    Congress leader Jairam Ramesh and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi shared on Twitter a letter by Gandhi on Jan 25, 1920 to Savarkar’s brother regarding a case, and accused the Union minister of giving a “twist” to what Gandhi wrote.

  • Savarkar had sought general amnesty for all political prisoners, says his grandson

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Amid a heated political exchange over Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s remarks on mercy petitions of Veer Savarkar, the latter’s grandson Ranjit Savarkar on Wednesday said the freedom fighter had sought a general amnesty for all the political prisoners.

    He also said that had the freedom fighter apologised to the British he would have been given some post.

    Ranjit Savarkar also said that one person like Mahatma Gandhi cannot be called the Father of the Nation as thousands of people had contributed towards the creation of the country which has a history of over 5,000 years.

    “Thousands of people have contributed towards the creation of this nation which has a history of more than 5,000 years.

    I don’t think Mahatma Gandhi is the Father of the Nation,” he told reporters in Mumbai.

    Responding to a query, Ranjit Savarkar said no one is demanding that Veer Savarkar be called the Father of the Nation because this concept itself was not acceptable to him.

    “My grandfather had sought a general amnesty for all the political prisoners.

    If he had really apologised to the British, he would have been given some post,” he said.

    Speaking at a function in Delhi on Tuesday, Rajnath Singh said that it was on Mahatma Gandhi’s request that Veer Savarkar wrote mercy petitions to the British and people from the Marxist and Leninist ideology wrongly accuse him as a fascist.

    On Wednesday, some opposition leaders attacked Rajnath Singh, alleging that he was “trying to rewrite history”.

    Congress leader Jairam Ramesh and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi shared on Twitter a letter by Gandhi on Jan 25, 1920 to Savarkar’s brother regarding a case, and accused the Union minister of giving a “twist” to what Gandhi wrote.

  • Congress high command seeks report on Rajasthan Congress chief’s comments on Savarkar

    By Express News Service

    JAIPUR: The Congress high command on Wednesday asked for a report on the controversial remarks made by GS Dotasra, the party chief in Rajasthan, who had praised Hindutva ideologue Veer Savarkar on Monday. 

    The party high command has asked the AICC in charge of the state to probe the issue and submit a factual report on Dotasra’s statement. The state in charge Ajay Maken has also sought a report and the complete video of the statement from the Rajasthan Pradesh Congress.

    Congress insiders say that the party’s interim president Sonia Gandhi has taken Dotasara’s remarks seriously. She has directed AICC general secretary KC Venugopal to seek a full report on Dotasara’s statement. The Congress High command is likely to take a final call on this issue after examining the full video of Dotasra’s comments on Savarkar and his role in the freedom struggle. 

    ALSO READ | Row as Rajasthan Congress chief accepts Savarkar as freedom fighter, BJP thrilled

    Speaking on the occasion of August Kranti Diwas in Jaipur on Monday, Dotasara had remarked that “we can’t deny that Savarkar did not play any role in country’s freedom struggle. He used to talk about Hindu Rashtra but it was not wrong at that time as our country was not independent and our Constitution was not formed.” 

    BJP leaders were quick to claim that Dotasara’s statement implies that he accepts the role of Savarkar in the freedom struggle and the truth about Savarkar’s contribution is finally being realized by Congress leaders such as Dotasara. Many BJP leaders now argue that though the Congress has attacked the Hindutva ideologue for decades, Savarkar in reality played a major role in freeing the country and that truth cannot be denied anymore — as Dotasara’s remarks reflect.

    Though Savarkar is seen as a hero by parties and groups which subscribe to Hindutva views, the Congress has always regarded him as an insider of the British.

    Far from accepting him as any freedom fighter, the Congress sees him as a dubious character who apologised to the British to get out of jail and his ideology of a Hindu Rashtra is unacceptable to the Congress.

    In this context, Dotasara is now being accused of crossing the party line. 

    Placed on the backfoot by this controversy, Dotasara has clarified that his remarks have been twisted by the BJP to suit its political goals. The Congress chief, who is also the Education Minister in the Gehlot government said, “I did not make any statement outside the party line in this whole episode. My statement is being misinterpreted.” 

    In his detailed clarification, Dotasara claimed that the country got independence because of people who believed in the ideology of the Congress, and asserted that “the BJP and the RSS are conspiring to use Savarkar’s ideology (of Hindu Rashtra) to create disharmony. We are against this ideology.” In a nutshell, Dotasara claims that he did not say anything against the Congress view on Savarkar.