Ranjit Savarkar, the grandson of Hindutva ideologue Veer Savarkar, on Friday, expressed sadness and disappointment after Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray did not meet him over Congress Seva Dal's anti-Savarkar booklet.
Ranjit came to Mumbai to meet Thackeray over Congress Seva Dal booklet which claimed that Savarkar had a 'physical relationship' with Mahatma Gandhi's assassin Nathuram Godse.
As Thackeray did not meet him, Ranjit after submitting the letter to Maharashtra Chief Minister's Office, said; "I came to meet the Chief Minister. I had sent several requests for an appointment but I could not meet him. He didn't have a minute to talk to me even when it's about Savarkar ji's respect. I am highly disappointed. It is an insult to Savarkar ji." He said that he came to Mumbai to request Thackeray that state government should also file a case against those who have insulted Savarkar.
He questioned that the "importance of Savarkar has reduced that Chief Minister cannot give his two minutes" over the issue related to him.
"I will keep doing my bit for Savarkar's respect. If they do not listen to me then I will go to Janta Darbar," he said.
Ranjit also said that a case must be filed against several people, including Rahul Gandhi and Congress Seva Dal, for levelling allegations against Veer Savarkar.
The booklet titled 'Veer Savarkar Kitne Veer?' was distributed during the 10-day camp of Congress Seva Dal. Congress Seva Dal chief Lalji Desai said that the writer has written the booklet on the basis of evidence.
"Writer has written it on the basis of evidence. But that's not important for us whether he was gay or not. In our country today, everyone has a legal right to have their own preferences," Desai told ANI.
The booklet gave a reference citing page 423 the 'Freedom at Midnight' book written by Larry Collins and Dominique Lapierre, which states that Godse had a homosexual relationship with his "political guru" Savarkar before the former turned celibate.
The booklet also claimed that Savarkar encouraged his followers to rape women from minorities and pelted stones at mosques when he was 12 years old.
