Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Saturday said that those who believe that Bharat Ratna should not be conferred on Veer Savarkar should be put in the same jail where the Hindutva ideologue was lodged.
"We have always been demanding respect for Veer Savarkar. Those who oppose Bharat Ratna for Veer Savarkar be put for two days in Andaman's cellular jail where Savarkar was lodged. It is only then that they will realize his sacrifice and contribution to the nation," Raut said.
Raut's statement seems to be a dig at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. The Wayanad MP in December at Congress' Bharat Bachao Rally at Ramlila grounds had said that his name was Rahul Gandhi and not Rahul Savarkar and that he would never apologise.
He had said, "The BJP asked me to apologise. My name is not Rahul Savarkar, it is Rahul Gandhi, and I will never apologise for speaking the truth. I will die, but I will not apologise for speaking the truth and nor will any Congressman do so. It is Narendra Modi and his assistant Amit Shah who have to apologise to the country for destroying India's economy."
Raut had then reacted to Gandhi's statement. He had tweeted, "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."
Speaking on the Belgaum border issue, Raut said, "Pakistanis, Bangladeshis and Rohingyas can enter India but someone from Maharashtra can't go to Belgaum (Karnataka)? This is wrong. We all are Indians. I will go there and meet people and attend programs, let their be prohibitions."
(With inputs from ANI)
