Savarkar row: Indira Gandhi letter puts Congress in a tight spot

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi;s comment about late VD Savarkaar has raised the political temperature in Maharashtra.The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena faction on Friday warned that its partnership with ideologically antithetical partner Congress could be at risk amid a disagreement over their views on right-wing ideologue VD Savarkar. Speaking to the media on Friday, Sanjay Raut said Congress leaders in Maharashtra won't support Rahul Gandhi's comments on Savarkar. "Coming to Maharashtra and saying things about Savarkar won't be accepted. Congress leaders won't support him. Bharat Jodo Yatra is against dictatorship and issues like unemployment, inflation and Congress is getting support," Sanjay Raut said.

BJP leader and deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis  posted a 1980 letter written by the former PM and said, "Just read what former prime minister of India Mrs Indira Gandhi (your grandmother) said about Savarkarji. Here she called Veer Savarjar ji the pillar of the freedom movement and the remarkable son of India.Fadnavis shared a letter written by Mahatma Gandhi and asked him to read the last lines of the letter as it has the same closing as the Savarkar's letter that Rahul Gandhi waved at a press meet on Thursday and said Savarkar helped the British. 

अब जरा भारत की पूर्व प्रधानमंत्री श्रीमती इंदिरा गांधी (आपकी दादी) इन्होंने स्वातंत्र्यवीर सावरकर जी के बारे में क्या कहा था, वो भी जरा पढ़ लिजिये...
यहाँ वे वीर सावरकर जी को स्वतंत्रता आंदोलन का आधारस्तंभ और भारत का सदा याँद रहने वाला सुपुत कहती है। #VeerSavarkar pic.twitter.com/DaSUTQD5TL

— Devendra Fadnavis (@Dev_Fadnavis) November 18, 2022

"I have a document that comprises Savarkar’s letter to the British in which he has stated, ‘I beg to remain sir your most obedient servant’. This is not written by me but by Savarkar ji. Let everyone read this document,” Rahul Gandhi said. “I am clearly of the view that he helped the British," Rahul Gandhi added.Meanwhile, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said that Rahul Gandhi's comment has nothing to do with the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance. Jairam Ramesh said, "It is a matter of different perspectives, outlook and the approach, which is also a fact. MVA was formed only three years ago and both Shiv Sena and Congress were political opponents till then. We came together over a common minimum program and formed the government."