Congress leader Rahul Gandhi again targeted late Hindutva ideologue Vinayak Damodar Savarkar on Thursday, alleging that he betrayed leaders like Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel by signing a letter of apology to the British before independence. He also dared the Maharashtra government led by Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena and BJP to Bharat Jodo Yatra, which is currently passing through the state.

Addressing the media in Maharashtra’s Akola, Rahul Gandhi said, “Veer Savarkar, in a letter written to the British, said, ‘Sir, I beg to remain your most obedient servant’ and signed on it. Savarkar helped the British. He betrayed leaders like Mamatama Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Patel by signing the letter out of fear.”

“If the government wants to stop the yatra, try and stop,” he dared.

On Tuesday, Gandhi called Savarkar a symbol of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). He claimed that Savar wrote a mercy petition and told the British to forgive him.

“In Andaman jail, Savarkar wrote a letter and told the British to forgive him and release him from jail. He took a pension from the British, he worked against Congress. After coming out of jail he accepted the British proposal and joined their force. The difference between Savarkar and Birsa Munda is he fought against the British when he was 24 years old,” he said.

BJP lambasts

Attacking Gandhi, BJP leader Amit Malviya said that Motilal Nehru wrote an apology to the British to secure the release of his son Jawaharlal Nehru.

“Jawaharlal Nehru, the man Congress venerates, was rescued (in Sept 1923) by his father, just because he couldn’t endure hardships in Nabha jail for even 2 weeks. His father Motilal Nehru wrote an apology to the British to secure his release. Nehru was a coward. So look within,” Malviya said.

Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has also lashed out at Gandhi over his comment on Savarkar.

“Swatantryaveer Savarkar is the only leader of this country who was imprisoned before independence and suffered imprisonment of ridicule after independence. Even today, Congress consistently tries to imprison his ideology. Rahul Gandhi lies every day and behaves shamelessly. The people of Maharashtra will answer him,” he said.