Bharatiya Janata Party MP from Poonam Mahajan on Monday took a dig at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his remarks on VD Savarkar and said he can never be Savarkar as he is taking the country towards the dirt.
The BJP MP from Mumbai North-Central was speaking to news agency ANI during a protest of Maharashtra BJP MPs against Gandhi in front of the Shivaji statue in Parliament. She said, “Rahul Gandhi said he is not Savarkar. He can never be Savarkar. He’s not even a Gandhi…The dirt of anarchy is being spread by Rahul Gandhi – he is not Rahul Gandhi but ‘Rahul gandagi’. He is taking the country towards the dirt.”
At a press conference over his expulsion from Lok Sabha, Gandhi on Saturday said “he is Gandhi, not Savarkar and Gandhis never offer an apology”.
Several BJP leaders slammed the Congress leader over the controversial remarks. Union minister and BJP leader Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said, “Rahul Gandhi very rightly said that he wasn’t Savarkar. If Rahul actually wishes to know Savarkar, then he must go to the Andaman Jail and spend time there to realise who Savarkar actually was and the kind of sacrifices he made.”
Union minister Anurag Thakur also lashed out at Gandhi and said the Congress leader can never be Veer Savarkar even in his “best dreams” as it required strong determination and love for the country.
“Rahul Gandhi can never be Savarkar. Savarkar never went abroad to roam for six months. He was dedicated to the country’s freedom. Rahul Gandhi can never be Veer Savarkar but he should have respected former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, Nehru. He insulted them also along with Savarkar. A post stamp was issued (on Savarkar) during your government in 1970. Indira Gandhi had written a letter and talked about Savarkar’s contribution,” he said.