Amid the ongoing war of words between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Shiv Sena, senior Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut has asked why the BJP government at the Centre had not given Bharat Ratna to Vinayak Damodar (Veer) Savarkar.
The question comes a day after BJP spokesperson Ram Kadam asked Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray why he did not utter a single word of praise for Veer Savarkar in the Dussehra rally and claimed he was afraid of the Congress party, which Kadam said had "repeatedly used derogatory remarks" against Veer Savarkar.
Raut, speaking to reporters, said Shiv Sena has never changed its stand on Veer Savarkar.
"Whenever an inappropriate comment was made to insult him, we stood by him. We've always had an emotional connection with him. Those who are criticising us must answer why didn't they give him Bharat Ratna," Raut said.
Thackeray, during her Dussehra speech, had slammed the BJP for questioning Shiv Sena's Hindutva and said, "They say my Hindutva is different from that of Balasaheb Thackeray. Your Hindutva is about clanging bells and utensils, our Hindutva is not like that."
The Sena chief said while the country was battling the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic the BJP was only interested in toppling elected governments in various states.
( With inputs from ANI )
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