Bhopal: The Congress party whose Bharat Jodo Yatra (BJY) entered Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday faced heat in the state over remarks made by former president Rahul Gandhi on Veer Savarkar in Maharashtra last week.
BJP leader Archana Chitnis, who is an MLA from Burhanpur, launched a veiled attack on Rahul Gandhi for his remarks on Savarkar.
She said: “Savarkar was a man of daring personality and he will always be remembered as a true patriotic. We (BJP) do need any certificate from Rahul Gandhi or his loyalists.”
She further said the Congress leader should first read about the history before making any comment on Savarkar.
Chitnis made the remarks while addressing a press conference in Khandwa district on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, several BJP leaders and workers posted photo of Veer Savarkar as display picture on their WhatsApp and other social media accounts.
“BJP workers and leaders used photo of Veer Sawarkar on their social media accounts, which was their spontaneous reply to Rahul Gandhi,” Rajnish Agrawal, a BJP spokesperson said.
Upset over Rahul Gandhi’s remarks, a right-wing group put up posters and banners in Burhanpur district just a day before the Congress foot-march entered the district on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, some posters were put up by Hindu Jagran Manch that also staged a protest demanding action against the former Congress president for “inciting public sentiments”.
In the meantime, the Congress tried to put an end to heated political barbs sparked by the remarks. The state’s ruling BJP unit, however, seems not to let it go.
Addressing a press conference on the first day of the Madhya Pradesh-leg of BJY, Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh, who is also in-charge of communication, said this chapter (remarks on Savarkar) has been closed.
However, he maintained that “Rahul Gandhi had not made any comment on Savarkar, but just on his (Savarkar’s) letter.”
“We have decided to close this chapter. The Congress will not reveal the truth of RSS and BJP leaders, if they (BJP) too stop making defamatory comments on our leaders,” he said.
A controversy was triggered after Rahul Gandhi had shown some old documents during a press conference last week in Akola district of Maharashtra, claiming they contained a letter written by Savarkar to the British.
“I will read the last line, which says ‘I beg to remain your most obedient servant’, and is signed by V.D. Savarkar, which shows he helped the British,” Rahul Gandhi had said on Friday.
–IANS
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