NEW DELHI: Amid a raging debate over V D Savarkar, Union home minister Amit Shah lauded the Hindutva ideologue as the “biggest patriot” as he flayed Congress‘s attacks on him
“I can’t even repeat what a Congress leader (referring to Rahul Gandhi) said in Lok Sabha about Savarkar-ji. It is to be remembered that it was not any party which added ‘Veer’ to Savarkar’s name. The honour was bestowed by masses who lauded him for courage. It is unfortunate that the forum of Parliament was used to spread falsehoods about an unparalleled patriot,” said Shah in what clearly appeared to be a reference to Rahul’s attack on the freedom fighter
“Savarkar was the only patriot since 1857 to 1947 to be given life imprisonment twice. Savarkar was in solitary confinement in a cellular jail… his brother was also in solitary confinement also in the same jail. However, the two could not get to see each other even once for 10 long years,” the home minister said.
“Veer Savarkar was the biggest patriot,” Shah said and added that his appreciation for the Hindutva ideologue, who is attacked by Left and “secular” parties, be put on record.
He asked Congress functionaries to at least respect the views of their own leader Indira Gandhi, who had on two occasions recalled Savarkar as a great son of India, who fought bravely against the British.