MUMBAI: Hours after the Uddhav Thackeray faction of the Shiv Sena warned the Congress that questioning Veer Savarkar’s patriotism could result in the break-up of their Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance in Maharashtra, the grand old party sought to douse the fire claiming their coalition was very much intact.
The Uddhav faction has been under pressure from the BJP to react strongly to the insult of Savarkar by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who raked up his mercy petition to the British Raj, alleging his contribution to the freedom struggle was tainted.
Uddhav Sena’s leader Sanjay Raut joined the perception battle by putting the Congress on notice, saying: “We consider Veer Savarkar a reverential figure. If Rahul Gandhi continues to articulate such views against Savarkar, it can break the MVA alliance in Maharashtra.”
Hours later, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh claimed the matter had been sorted out after he spoke to Raut. He said both of them agreed that there was no crack in the MVA. Ramesh said in democracy, everyone has a right to hold different views. “We believe in documentary evidence that Savarkar helped the British rulers.” He added that the party was not raising it intentionally, but it came in different context.
‘Like Shivaji, yatra will unite all’
Rahul Gandhi said on Friday Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj heard the voice of his people that helped him to build the Maratha state. “In a similar fashion, Bharat Jodo Yatra will bring together all sections of people by spreading peace,” he said at a rally in Shegaon in Maharashtra’s Buldhana district.