Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing a rally in Maharashtra went all out against the opposition for insulting Savarkar over the Bharat Ratna award. Modi said it was due to Savarkar’s ‘sanskar’ that we put patriotism as the basis for nation-building. PM also slammed Congress for opposing the subject of abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, which was being raised during the election campaign.
Savarkar being given a Bharath Ratna
The following objection from the Congress party came in after the Bharathiya Janatha Party announced their manifesto to give Savarkar India’s highest civilian honor, Bharath Ratna ahead of the Maharastra polls. PM Modi said, “it was due to Savarkar’s ‘sanskar’ that we put patriotism as the basis for nation-building. People who are offended at out revoking article 370, they are the same people who use to exploit and defame Veer Savarkar and who rejected him a Bharath Ratna till today.”
Modi further called opposition a ‘shameless party’ for going against India’s interests. “We are proud of the sons of Maharashtra who sacrificed their lives for Jammu and Kashmir. And today, these people, who are involved in the interests of politics and their families, are engaged in saying that what Maharashtra has to do with Jammu and Kashmir? Doob Maro, Doob Maro (drown in shame),” said Modi.
Why didn’t BJP promise this during Lok Sabha?
A congress spokesperson had earlier said that BJP’s move to give Bharath Ratna to Savarkar is nothing but a political game plan. “Why didn’t BJP promise this during Lok Sabha? I would like to ask BJP if even its leaders endorse Savarkar’s views?”
Narendra Modi also mentioned the Congress and NCP alliance as a ‘corrupt coalition’ as their previous government took Maharastra backward by a decade. “At one time, there were regular incidents of terrorism and hatred in Maharastra. The culprits got away and settled in different countries. India want to ask people who were in power then, how did all this happen? How did they escape?,” PM said.
