THANE :
MAHARASHTRA Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday led the ‘Savarkar Gaurav Yatra’ in his hometown Thane in which hundreds of people took part to honour late Hindutva ideologue V D Savarkar. The Bharatiya Janata Party and Shinde-led Shiv Sena had last month announced that Savarkar Gaurav Yatras would be taken out in each district of Maharashtra to honour Savarkar’s contribution to the country and to counter Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s criticism against him. On Sunday, the yatra participants, wearing saffron caps with ‘Mi Savarkar’ (I am Savarkar) and other messages written on them, paid floral tributes to Savarkar at the Ram Ganesh Gadkari Rangayatan auditorium in Thane city from where the yatra commenced. On the culmination of the rally, addressing a gathering, Shinde slammed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his repeated attacks on Savarkar and said insults to freedom fighters was akin to insulting the nation. People are angry to see some forces trying to malign Hindutva by attacking Savarkar, Shinde said
“We have noticed citizens expressing disappointment over some people consistently insulting Savarkar. An insultofSavarkaristheinsult ofeveryIndian.Iopenlycondemn people like Rahul Gandhifor his tirade against Savarkar. I dare anyone to live a day in the Cellular Jail thewaySavarkarwas jailed,” Shinde said. Without taking names, he also swiped at Shiv Sena (UBT) Uddhav Thackeray.
“BalasahebThackerayhad hittheeffigyofManiShankar Aiyar once (for such remarks). Unfortunately, some people who claim Balasaheb Thackeray’s legacy are now sitting with those (Congress’ Rahul Gandhi) who have consistently attacked Savarkar,” Shinde said. Praising Narendra Modi, the Chief Minister said Hindutva was seen as an aggression against minorities, but the Prime Minister had brought back its glory post 2014. “Hindutva is not against any religion. But some people deliberately keep misinterpreting it,” Shinde remarked. Atableaudisplayinginformation related to Savarkar was also part of the yatra. Shindeandsomeotherleaders of the ruling Shiv SenaBJP coalition participated in the yatra on a makeshift ‘chariot’ with a large photographofSavarkarinthebackground.