Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday hailed Hindutva ideologue Vinayak Damodar Savarkar and said that it is his values that nationalism has been put at the core of nation-building.
"It is the values of Veer Savarkar that we have put nationalism at the core of nation-building," Prime Minister said addressing a rally in Akola.
It is worth to mention that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in its mfesto for the Maharashtra Assembly elections, promised that, if re-elected, its government would recommend the name of Savarkar for the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian award.
Hitting out at the opposition parties for protesting against its proposal of honouring Savrakar with Bharat Ratna, Modi said: "There are those who insulted Baba Saheb (Bhim Rao Ambedkar) by keeping him away from Bharat Ratna for decades. These are the people who have now insulted Veer Savarkar."
He added that the same people had the malaise of not fully implementing the constitution drafted by Ambedkar in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
The Prime Minister brought up the issue of removing Article 370 fro Jammu and Kashmir and without naming anyone, he said: "I am surprised that such voices are being raised on Chhatrapati Shivaji's land today due to political selfishness and see their shamelessness that they are openly saying what is the connection of Article 370 with Maharashtra elections? What is the relation of Maharashtra to Jammu and Kashmir?"
"While all of you (people) are happy with the removal of Article 370, but they are in pain," he added.
The Prime Minister said that such people want a divided India and not a superior India. "They want a scattered India, a fighting India," he said.
He said all their "political tricks" are getting destroyed day by day.
Prime Minister Modi's election campaign in Maharashtra will end on October 18.
Single-phased polls in Maharashtra are scheduled to be held on October 21 and results will be announced on October 24.
( With inputs from ANI )