Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday led the ’Savarkar Gaurav Yatra’ in his hometown Thane in which hundreds of people took part to honour late Hindutva ideologue V D Savarkar.The Bharatiya Janata Party and Shinde-led Shiv Sena had last month announced that Savarkar Gaurav Yatras would be taken out in each district of Maharashtra to honour Savarkar’s contribution to the country and to counter Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s criticism against him.
On Sunday, the yatra participants, wearing saffron caps with ’Mi Savarkar’ (I am Savarkar) and other messages written on them, paid floral tributes to Savarkar at the Ram Ganesh Gadkari Rangayatan auditorium in Thane city from where the yatra commenced. On the culmination of the rally, addressing a gathering, Shinde slammed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his repeated attacks on Savarkar and said insults to freedom fighters was akin to insulting the nation. People are angry to see some forces trying to malign Hindutva by attacking Savarkar, Shinde said.
We have noticed citizens expressing disappointment over some people consistently insulting Savarkar. An insult of Savarkar is the insult of every Indian. I openly condemn people like Rahul Gandhi for his tirade against Savarkar. I dare anyone to live a day in the Cellular Jail the way Savarkar was jailed,” Shinde said.