The Shiv Sena on Saturday reacted sharply to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s jibe ‘My name is not Rahul Savarkar’, saying that there could not be any “compromise” about reverence for the Hindutva ideologue.
“Veer Savarkar is an idol of whole country and not just Maharashtra. The name Savarkar denotes pride about nation and self. Like Nehru and Gandhi, Savarkar too sacrificed his life for the country. Every such idol must be revered. There is no compromise on this,” Mr. Raut, a Rajya Sabha member, tweeted.
Addressing the Congress’ mega “Bharat Bachao Rally” in Delhi earlier in the day, Mr. Gandhi rejected the BJP’s demand for apology for his “rape in India” barb, and added that his name was Rahul Gandhi, not “Rahul Savarkar” and he will never apologise for speaking the truth.
The Congress is part of the Shiv Sena-led government in Maharashtra.
