"Veer" Savarkar was a freedom fighter and Hindutva ideologue and is greatly respected by the BJP.
Union Minister Smriti Irani lashed out at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday for his 'I am not Rahul Savarkar' comment, saying that 10 generations after him will not be able to muster up the courage that Hindutva ideologue Vinayak Damodar Savarkar had.
"Rahul Gandhi recently said that 'I will not apologise, I am not Rahul Savarkar'. I want to tell Rahul Gandhi today that even after your 10 generations, you will not be able to match the courage of Savarkar," Smriti Irani said.
Her remarks come hours after Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut's comment on the controversy surrounding Veer Savarkar, suggesting that those opposing the Hindutva ideologue should actually go on to spend just two days at the Cellular Jail in Andaman and only then would they realise Savarkar's 'sacrifice and contribution to the nation'.
"Veer" Savarkar was a freedom fighter and Hindutva ideologue, who is said to have signed the mercy petition with the British government while he was in Andaman jail. Some BJP leaders have time and again pitched for a Bharat Ratna to Savarkar.
Looking at the context in the Indian political scenario, Veer Savarkar is greatly admired by both the BJP and the Shiv Sena, making him often a point of contention between Sena and its newfound ally, the Congress.
The controversy over Savarkar surfaced when in December, former Congress president Rahul Gandhi had launched a scathing attack on the central government saying he will not apologise for a 'Rape in India' comment of his as, the Congress MP put, his name is 'Rahul Gandhi and not Rahul 'Savarkar''.
"I was told in Parliament by BJP yesterday, 'Rahul Ji, you gave a speech. Apologise for that.' I was told to apologise for speaking something correct. My name is not Rahul Savarkar. My name is Rahul Gandhi. I will never apologise for truth," the Congress leader had said while addressing a rally last month.
Following this, Congress' ally in Maharashtra, the Shiv Sena, had hit out at the grand old party for taking a dig at Vinayak Damodar Savarkar.
"We respect Pandit Nehru and Mahatma Gandhi," Raut declared in a post from his Twitter handle, "You should not insult Veer Savarkar. No further explanation is needed for anyone sensible."
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