“Savarkar was an atheist, nobody denies that, and he also did not believe in cow worship,” Rao told News18, maintaining that he has not said anything wrong.
Standing firm on his statement regarding Hindu ideologue Veer Savarkar, senior Congress leader and Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao reiterated that he stands by his remarks on Hindutva ideologue Veer Savarkar being a ‘rationalist’, stating that Savarkar consumed non-vegetarian food and was not against cow slaughter.
“Sorry for speaking the truth,” said Rao in a highlighted post on his social media handle. He also added in fine print, “Sorry, not for my statements, but this is what Savarkar said to the British,” in his post.
Rao told News18 that what he said was a well-informed statement that some people claim that Savarkar used to eat non-vegetarian food, and it was a known fact that he did so.
“He was an atheist, nobody denies that, and he also did not believe in cow worship,” Rao told News18, maintaining that he has not said anything wrong. He added that his words are being twisted to suit the political debate in the country.
The controversial statements were made by the Karnataka minister while he was speaking at the release of the Kannada version of Gandhi’s Assassin: The Making of Nathuram Godse and His Idea of India written by journalist Dhirendra K Jha.
Rao has been facing sharp criticism for his remarks on Savarkar. He reiterated that Savarkar had openly stated that he was a rationalist, a freedom fighter, and one who also went to jail for it. “I also praised him for being the kind of freedom fighter he was,” the minister said.
Rao said Savarkar was a known atheist who did not believe in cow worship and was open about it.
BJP Hits Out at Rao
The BJP called it another strategy of the Congress to be anti-Hindu and make statements that appease minorities. The party also said this was Congress’s tactic to distract people’s attention from the MUDA scam in Karnataka.
“For the Congress, their god is Tipu Sultan. Why is the Congress always targeting Hindus? Why don’t you target the Muslims? That is because your mindset is such. The Hindus have given a verdict in the elections, and after this, every Hindu will teach the Congress a lesson,” said Karnataka Leader of Opposition and BJP leader R Ashoka.
Maharashtra Leaders Call Out Rao
Savarkar is considered a hero by many in the country and his link to people in Maharashtra, for his role as a freedom fighter, his advocacy of Hindutva, and his views on India’s independence movement.
Maharashtra and Karnataka are sparring over statements made by Congress minister Dinesh Gundu Rao about Hindu ideologue Veer Savarkar. Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has demanded an unconditional apology from the minister within 24 hours. The Shiv Sena also stated that Rao would not be able to set foot in Maharashtra if he does not relent.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also attacked Rao for this statement and accused the Congress of repeatedly insulting the freedom fighter without understanding his legacy.
Calling Savarkar’s contributions as a great freedom fighter, Fadnavis highlighted his views on farmers and cows, stating that Savarkar had always been concerned with their upliftment. “Savarkar had said that a cow helps the farmer from his birth till his death; hence, we have given the status of god to the cow,” Fadnavis said in response to Rao. He added that this smear campaign against Savarkar was spearheaded by Rahul Gandhi and that “they keep insulting him.”
The Shiv Sena and BJP called this a continuation of Rahul Gandhi’s campaign against Savarkar, stating that his party is now trying to gain brownie points but has deeply hurt the sentiments of Hindus and the legacy of Savarkar.Naresh Mhaske, a Member of Parliament from the Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction), said, “If Dinesh Gundu Rao does not apologise for his disrespectful statement about Savarkar within 24 hours, Shiv Sena will ensure that he is not allowed to set foot in Maharashtra.”Commenting on the Congress minister’s remarks, Shiv Sena UBT leader Aaditya Thackeray called it a needless controversy and said it would be better to focus on the exhaustive work done by great leaders like Savarkar.
Will Take Legal Action: Savarkar’s Grandson
Savarkar’s grandson, Ranjit Savarkar, has said that he will take legal action and file a defamation case against Rao for his statements. He accused Congress of trying to defame his grandfather and claimed that the party has been attempting to divide Hindu society by making such statements just before elections, trying to cause a rift along caste lines.“It has been the strategy adopted by Congress time and again to divide Hindu society. They did this during the British era, and they are doing this now as elections are approaching in Maharashtra. We have seen Rahul Gandhi doing it, and now his party leaders are making such statements. This is the real face of Congress,” Savarkar said.
What Rao Had Said
Rao had earlier said that Savarkar, a ‘Chitpavan Brahmin’, used to eat meat. “He was a non-vegetarian and was not against cow slaughter. He was modern in a way. Some say that he used to eat beef as well. As a Brahmin, he used to eat meat and openly propagated eating meat. So, he had that thinking,” the minister said in his speech marking Gandhi Jayanti.
The minister elaborated on how he compared Savarkar to Gandhi. On one hand, Gandhi was very religious and a devout Hindu, while Savarkar was an atheist.
Rao said that people should listen to his speech carefully. He stated that Gandhi was a vegetarian, while Savarkar was not. “In my speech, I called Savarkar a modern man, one who had very scientific views. I also said that Gandhi was a cow worshipper, whereas Savarkar did not believe in cow worship. I said that Gandhi had democratic views, while Savarkar was a fundamentalist. To counter Savarkar’s fundamentalism, we need to bring in Gandhivaad. I stand by this statement,” the minister said adding nobody can twist it to suit their political needs.
