27 March,2023 07:11 PM IST | Mumbai | PTI
CM Eknath Shinde and deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis during a press conference on Monday. Pic/ Ashish Raje
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Monday targeted Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray over Rahul Gandhi's remarks on late Hindutva ideologue V D Savarkar.
Shinde also said the Shiv Sena and the Bharatiya Janata Party will hold a 'Savarkar Gaurav Yatra' across the state.
Shinde, who was addressing reporters alongside Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis, asked Thackeray to show "courage" to oppose these remarks.
Shinde said the Thackeray-led outfit had crossed all limits when they joined the Congress in opposing Rahul Gandhi's disqualification as Lok Sabha MP last week.
ALSO READ
Special | Maharashtra assembly elections: Who’s the real NCP in Mumbra-Kalwa?
Maharashtra assembly elections: Want unity, not CM post, says Uddhav Thackeray
Maharashtra assembly elections likely only after Diwali
Raut defends Uddhav's push for decision on CM's face from MVA allies
Long queues at voting centres as first ever hawkers polls in city begin
Gandhi was disqualified on March 24 after a court in Surat in Gujarat sentenced him to two years in jail in a defamation case.
"What are you (Thackeray) going to do when you say you are not going to tolerate Savarkar's insult. You need to show that courage," Shinde told reporters.
Shinde said Shiv Sena founder late Bal Thackeray had launched a "joda mara abhiyaan" (hitting with slippers) in 2004 against the then Union minister and Congressman Mani Shankar Aiyar for his remarks against Savarkar.
"Those talking about Hindutva, their MLAs saying we will not tolerate Savarkar's insult were quiet for (the sake of) politics and Maha Vikas Aghadi. This is their double standards," Shinde alleged.
Also Read: Amruta Fadnavis bribe case: Court grants bail to designer Anishka Jaisinghani
At a rally on Sunday, Thackeray said he considered Savarkar as his "idol", and had asked Gandhi to refrain from "insulting" him.
"By making defamatory statements against Savarkar, the sympathy gained by Rahul Gandhi will start ebbing. This will, for sure, put the Maharashtra Congress in a uncomfortable position," an editorial in Shiv Sena (UBT) mouthpiece 'Saamana' had said on Monday.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Congress are part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi.
To become like Savarkar, one needs to sacrifice and have love for the country, Shinde said.
Shinde also dubbed Gandhi's criticism in the United Kingdom of the Narendra Modi government as treason.
Gandhi had criticised the country and it democracy there, Shinde alleged.
This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever