Slamming the government for asking him to apologise over his 'Rape-in-India' remark, Gandhi had earlier said that he will not apologise for something which was right.
BJP leader Sambit Patra on Sunday said that Rahul Gandhi is not 'Savarkar' since "Savarkar was veer (brave) and a patriot", implying that Gandhi will never be able to be that. Instead, he said, "If Rahul Gandhi wants a new name then from today BJP will call him 'Rahul thoda sharm kar (Rahul, have some shame)'". Sambit Patra's comments came on Saturday after former Congress President Rahul Gandhi earlier in the day said that he will not apologise for his "rape in India" comment saying he is not "Rahul Savarkar".
"Rahul Gandhi can never become Savarkar. Savarkar was veer (brave) and patriot. Rahul Gandhi speaks the language of Pakistan on Article 370, Balakot airstrike, surgical strikes and CAB. He can never emulate Veer Savarkar. If Rahul Gandhi wants a new name then from today BJP will call him 'Rahul thoda sharm kar (Rahul, have some shame). A man who compares Make in India with Rape in India has crossed all limits," Sambit Patra said to news agency ANI.
As Congress leaders are holding a "Bharat Bachao' rally in New Delhi's Ramlila Maidan to corner the Narendra Modi-led BJP government on its 'divisive and disruptive' policies, Rahul Gandhi launched a scathing attack on the government saying he will not apologise as his name is not Rahul 'Savarkar'.
The Congress leader was referring to Veer Savarkar, a freedom fighter and Hindutva ideologue, who is said to have signed petitions of mercy with the British government. The Centre has recommended conferring Bharat Ratna to Savarkar.
Slamming the government for asking him to apologise over his 'Rape-in-India' remark, Gandhi said that he will not apologise for something which was right.
"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," he said while addressing the rally.
He further said that the Prime Minister and Union Home Minster Amit Shah should apologise to the nation. "No one from Congress will apologise. It is Narendra Modi who should apologise. He should apologise to the nation. His assistant Amit Shah should apologise to the nation. I will tell you why they should that," he said.
On Friday, Rahul had refused to apologise for his remark and said that the issue is being raised by the BJP to deflect the attention of the people from protests in the North-East over Citizen Amendment Act.
Launching a scathing attack on the Centre, the Congress leader said, "Today, the GDP (Gross Domestic Product) growth is at 4%, that too even after they (BJP) changed the way to measure GDP. If GDP is measured following the previous method, it will be just 2.5%. The country knows the situation today. They work to create divides - between religions - in J&K, in the northeast. Go to Assam, Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh. Go & see what Narendra Modi did there, he has set ablaze those regions."
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