The ruling Shiv Sena slammed the BJP and RSS for their 'fake love' for Vinayak Damodar Savarkar while criticising the saffron party for the ploy to put the Maha Vikas Aghadi in trouble.
Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamana on Thursday came heavily on the RSS, saying during the freedom struggle of India, "where was the RSS? Sardar Patel brought the ban twice over RSS. When India, got the freedom that time also RSS did not host the flag at his head office."
"Sardar Patel lifted the ban on RSS with one condition that they will host the national flag at their office. The RSS chief Golwalkar had given in writing that they will do so but he did not follow the government's order still 2002," said the editorial.
Sena also said the conspiracy of the BJP to topple the Maha Vikas Aghadi government will not succeed.
"Those who do not host the national flag, they're called the anti-national. So what about the RSS? The BJP cannot use the Savarkar has a shield. Shiv Sena hosted the saffron flag and tricolor as well. We believe in the national flag and understands its importance," stated in Saamana.
However, the party praised Savarkar for his command over the Marathi language.
"Savarkar was language experts, therefore, we salute him on Marathi language day. The BJP's love for Savarkar is fake and hypocritical. We will read all books of Savarkar with a sense of pride," said Shiv Sena.
Aaditya Thackeray also criticised the BJP and its demand of honouring Savarkar in state assembly sessions.
Thackeray said when BJP was in power in last five years, the former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis wrote twice to centre government led by BJP to honour the Savarkar.
"But the letters of Fadnavis have not been unanswered in the last three years. It shows the love of the BJP for Savarkar. Let the central government give the Bharat Ratna to Savarkar, then we will surely bring the resolutions congratulating government and honouring Savarkar," Thackeray said.