HUBBALLI: While Congress leaders have been targeting VD Savarkar, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi on Friday hit back at the Grand Old Party, questioning the contribution of the “first family of Congress”.
Joshi told the media that none of the existing ‘fake’ Gandhis ever went through the travails faced by Savarkar, who suffered 11 years of Kala Paani punishment.
Congress leaders should understand that despite differences in their thinking, Mahatma Gandhi always considered Savarkar a patriot, he said. He pointed out that during a Congress Party session, Gandhi had pleaded for the release of Savarkar and also passed a resolution. “Indira Gandhi’s letter, written during the birth anniversary of Savarkar, too is in the public domain. To appease their vote bank, Congress leaders are indulging in RSS and Savarkar bashing,” he charged.
He denounced the ‘egg attack’ on Siddaramaiah, and said he or his party will never support any such protest. But, he added, what Siddaramaiah said about Savarkar is condemnable. “The Congress leader should understand his stature and keep away from divisive politics,” he opined.
Stating that Siddaramaiah understood the “miserable condition his party is in”, he said, “Siddaramaiah is not originally from Congress, but it made him CM and opposition leader. He has been waiting for another term as chief minister after which he is most likely to be least bothered about the future of Congress.”
Horticulture and Kolar district in-charge minister Munirathna said there were no lapses in security in tour programmes attended by Siddaramaiah.