Maha BJP chief says Rahul must apologise for Savarkar remarks before entering state; Congress hits back

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Congress leader Rahul Gandhi must apologise and withdraw his remarks against late Hindutva ideologue V D Savarkar before entering Maharashtra, state BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule said here on Friday.

It evoked a sharp reaction from Bawankule's Congress counterpart Nana Patole who said that Gandhi did not need the Bharatiya Janata Party's permission to visit the state.

Speaking in Nagpur, Bawankule was responding to reporters' questions about talk of Rahul Gandhi's imminent visit to Mumbai to meet former chief minister Uddhav Thackeray.

The Thackeray-led Shiv Sena and Congress along with the Nationalist Congress Party constitute the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance in Maharashtra.

The BJP has accused Gandhi of repeatedly "insulting" Savarkar, while the latter has time and again referred to the late freedom fighter's 'apology' to British rulers when he was incarcerated in Andaman's Cellular Jail.

"We do not have any objection if Rahul Gandhi visits 'Matoshree' (Thackeray's home in Mumbai). But Rahul Gandhi had repeatedly and purposely targeted Savarkar. Therefore, before coming to Maharashtra, he must first apologise and take back his remarks against Savakar," said Bawankule.

Gandhi recently met NCP chief Sharad Pawar as part of his party's efforts to cement the Opposition unity. It led to speculation about his likely meeting with Thackeray, another ally.

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Speaking at a rally in Malegaon in March, Thackeray had said he considered Savarkar his "idol" and asked the Congress leader to refrain from "insulting" him. He had also said that deliberate attempts were on to provoke Gandhi.

"My name is not Savarkar, my name is Gandhi and Gandhi does not offer an apology to anyone," Rahul Gandhi had said last month responding to a query on calls by the BJP seeking his apology over various issues.

Reacting to Bawankule's statement, state Congress chief Patole said Bawankule does not get any "value" even in his own party.

"How will he stop Rahul Gandhi? Whenever Rahul Gandhi wants to come to Maharashtra, he will come and Congress workers will welcome him with great enthusiasm. Rahul Gandhi does not need permission from the BJP, Bawankule or anyone to come to Maharashtra," Patole said.

"BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are afraid of Rahul Gandhi. Dozens of ministers and MLAs are criticizing Rahul Gandhi every day. Rahul Gandhi's visit is not confirmed yet but he will visit Maharashtra soon. No one can stop Rahul Gandhi from coming to Maharashtra," he told reporters.

Patole also said that people are in distress due to inflation and unemployment, farmers are facing immense hardship, but the BJP government is not paying attention.

"People, who are fed up with the BJP's governance, showed it its place in the recent Legislative Council, Assembly bypolls and local bodies elections," the Congress leader further said.

The BJP was trying to expand itself by "doing politics of oppression" through the Enforcement Directorate and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), he said.

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