Mumbai, Nov 27 Shiv Sena leader Manisha Kayande has strongly criticised Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi for his recent remarks on Vinayak Damodar Savarkar.
LoP Rahul Gandhi, while addressing a Constitution Day event that the Congress had organised at Talkatora Stadium on Tuesday, questioned if the Constitution reflects the views of Savarkar, asking if it advocates violence. He also waved a copy of the Constitution to the audience, implying that it does not support Savarkar's ideology.
Kayande, while speaking to IANS, responded by accusing LoP Gandhi of lacking knowledge of India’s history.
"Rahul Gandhi may have become the LoP due to numbers and powers, but how much does he really know about India? Despite walking thousands of kilometres during his Bharat Jodo Yatras, he hasn’t understood anything," she said.
Kayande defended Savarkar, describing him as a freedom fighter and a great social reformist.
She pointed out that Savarkar was a staunch advocate for equality and fought against the caste system.
She further emphasised that the Constitution promotes equality for all, regardless of caste, and Savarkar was a pioneer in this respect.
"Veer Savarkar established the Patit Pavan Mandir in Ratnagiri, a place open to all Hindus, and he was strongly opposed to the caste system," she said, asserting that his views aligned with the values enshrined in the Indian Constitution.
Kayande also took a swipe at Uddhav Thackeray and his faction of the Shiv Sena's alliance with the Congress, questioning whether their leaders were still "blinded" by the "glasses" LoP Gandhi wore when it came to Savarkar.
"I ask Uddhav Thackeray whether his eyes are still closed or have they opened," she said.
She also dismissed the LoP's comments as immature, claiming that such statements were part of his character.
Kayande remarked that no apology should be expected from him, as "these are in his DNA."
She concluded by expressing confidence in the Shiv Sena’s future under the leadership of Eknath Shinde, who, she said, had successfully brought the party back to its true Hindutva path.
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