'Savarkar didn't apologise, Mahatma Gandhi advised him to write mercy petition': Fadnavis in Mumbai rally

Maharashtra deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis, addressing the 'Savarkar Gaurav Yatra' started by CM Eknath Shinde, hit out at the Congress party over its leader Rahul Gandhi's remarks on VD Savarkar.

"You said Veer Savarkar apologised and wrote a letter to the British. No, that's wrong. Savarkar wrote a letter because he knew that the British won't release him. So he wrote, don't release me (Savarkar) but release other prisoners who did nothing against you (the British)," Fadnavis was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

"Mahatma Gandhi wrote letters to Savarkar's relatives, who were also in jail with him (Savarkar) for many years, and said - other prisoners were released. He then told Savarkar that he should also tell the British that you released them, release me (Savarkar) too," the deputy CM went on to add.

In an apparent jibe at the Gandhi scion, Fadnavis said: "Those who have a golden spoon with them are talking about Veer Savarkar. Your party leaders respect Veer Savarkar. Indira Gandhi, Yashwantrao Chavan - they respected Savarkar and you are questioning him. Who are you?"

Taking his attack against the MVA a notch above, the BJP leader said: "When Uddhav Thackeray was CM of Maharashtra, Congress in their mouthpiece called Veer Savarkar homosexual but at that time Uddhav Thackeray couldn't say anything against this because that time he loved the CM chair more than Savarkar. Now they say that they are against Rahul Gandhi's statement but what would you (Thackeray faction) do against Rahul Gandhi's that statement?"