Rane slams Uddhav, Aaditya for not opposing Rahul's remarks on Savarkar

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Union Minister Narayan Rane on Friday said Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leaders Uddhav Thackeray and his son Aaditya Thackeray did not know the history of freedom fighter VD Savarkar and slammed them for not opposing Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's comments on the Hindutva ideologue.

Rahul Gandhi, whose Bharat Jodo Yatra is currently passing through Maharashtra, on Thursday held a press conference at Wadegaon in Akola district, where he claimed Savarkar helped the British rulers and wrote a mercy petition to them out of fear, thereby betraying Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Patel, Jawaharlal Nehru and other leaders of the freedom struggle.

Speaking at a function in Dombivali here, Rane said, "They do not know the glorious history of Swatantrayaveer Savarkar. So what can they say on Rahul Gandhi's comments or oppose it."

He said Aaditya Thackeray, a former state minister, did not know why Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray had great belief in Savarkar and his thoughts.

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Slamming Aaditya Thackeray for taking part in the Bharat Jodo Yatra "to improve his image", Rane said one needs to know history to criticise and express anger at such objectionable comments.

The senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader mocked the Bharat Jodo Yatra and said the same old faces of the party were participating in the march, while local level functionaries were absent.

The Shiv Sena (UBT), the Nationalist Congress Party and the Congress have different ideologies but are uniting for the march as they seek power, Rane alleged.

But the move will be in vain as the country was now marching towards self-reliance under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said.

Rane also claimed he had stopped Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Neelam Gorhe from leaving the party after she was upset over not getting a ministerial post (earlier), while he alleged NCP Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule indulged in the politics of revenge.

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