For the second time in a week, Shiv Sena leader and spokesperson Sanjay Raut on Saturday put his foot in his mouth by saying that all those opposing Bharat Ratna for Vinayak Damodar Savarkar should be lodged in Andaman’s cellular jail, a statement that the Opposition BJP latched onto quickly and said that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi “is the first person to be sent to Andaman Jail”.
From being the face of Shiv Sena who played a key role in the formation of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) Government in Maharashtra, Raut is proving to be an embarrassment for his party through his statements, which are resulting in strains in relations between the ruling Sena and Congress.
After his much-discussed “late Indira Gandhi met underworld don Karim Lala” controversy, Raut gave another issue on a platter to the Opposition BJP. No wonder that Shiv Sena leader Aditya Thackeray quickly distanced from the Sena from its own spokesperson’s latest statement, by saying it was better not concentrate on history but to focus on issues of the present.
Earlier, alluding former Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan’s statement opposing conferment of Bharat Ratna to Veer Sarvarkar, Raut said: “Prithviraj Chavan is a Congress leader from Maharashtra. The decision to confer Bharat Ratna is taken by the Centre and the Home Ministry. Even the Shiv Sena has long been insisting that Savarkar with Bharat Ratna. If someone is opposing it, it is their right to have a contrary view.”
“But, Prithviraj Chavan knows that the kind of sacrifice and struggle put in by Veer Savarkar for the country. As part of 50 years of life imprisonment handed to him, Savarkar spent 14 long years of their lives in Andaman Jail. It was unusual event. Those opposing Bharat Ratna to Veer Savarkar — they may be anybody and they may belong to any political party and have any political ideology — should be lodged for two days in the same cell at Andaman Jail where Savarkar stayed. Then, they will realise the kind of sacrifice that Savarkar had made for the country,” Raut said.
Seeking to cash in on Raut’s statement tom drive a wedge between the Shiv Sena and Congress, BJP’s former minister and senior leader Vinod Tawde said: “If Sanjay Raut wants to anyone to send anyone cellular jail in Andaman for opposing Bharat Ratna, Rahul Gandhi is the first person who should be sent to the Andaman jail. Do State leaders like Balasaheb Thorat, Ashok Chavan and Prithviraj Chavan agree with Raut’s statement?”
Tawade said that Raut appeared to have lost his balance over the denial ministerial berth to his younger brother Sunil Raut in the Uddhav Thackeray Cabinet.
Another BJP leader Kirit Somaiya said that through his statement, Raut had targeted the Congress. “The interpretation of Raut’s is that Rahul Gandhi should be sent to Andaman prision”.
Realising that the Opposing BJP might exploit Raut’s statement to create strains in the relations between his party and its alliance partner in the MCA Congress, Aditya Thackeray said: “I do not know in what capacity that Raut has made this statement. I am told he has already given a clarification. I do not think there should be controversies over anything. The matter of bestowing Bharat Ratna posthumously is in the hands of the BJP. It can give it”
“At this juncture there is no need to discuss the past. We have discussed enough about the history. I would like to tell everyone that we should not talk much about history. We respect everyone.
Let us discuss current issues like unemployment, marked slide in GDP, economic crisis and the fact that not much is happening in this country. Let us bring back peace and prosperity in the country. All I can say is that let us learn from history and move forward,” Aditya said.
Former chief minister and senior BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis took a swipe at Aditya Thackeray for his “we should not speak much about history now” statement.
“SwatantryaVeer Savarkar is not just a person but a thought! ...& thought can never be mere history but our present & future too!,” Fadnavis tweeted.
This is the second time in a week when Raut has landed in a difficult situation vis-a-vis the Congress. Early this week, Raut had created flutter by claiming that late Indira Gandhi used to meet Underworld don Karim Lala in yesteryears.
In Wednesday’s public interview held in Pune on Wednesday evening, Raut had said: “There was a time when Dawood Ibrahim, Chhota Shakeel, Sharad Shetty would decide who will be Mumbai’s police commissioner and who will sit in Mantralaya (state secretariat). When Haji Mastan came to Mantralaya, the entire secretariat would come down to see him. Indira Gandhi used to meet Karim Lala in Pydhonie (in south Mumbai).
Like in the latest instance, Aditya Thackeray had intervened and clarified “Raut has already clarified that whatever he said was in a different context. Late Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray had a lot of respect for Indira Gandhi. Hence, no Shiv Sainik will speak ill-about late Mrs Gandhi. Raut’s intentions are clean”.
Notwithstanding efforts by the BJP to exploit statements by Raut to create fissures between the Shiv Sena and Congress, the latest Andaman controversy will have no bearing on the stability of the MVA Government. Aditya, who had met Rahul Gandhi in the national capital early this week, enjoys a good rapport with the Congress’ former president.
Though there is speculation in the state political circles that Raut is upset with his brother Sunil Raut being denied a ministerial berth in the State Cabinet and as a result, he is speaking out of turn and the Congress is being seen as a target of statement.
Those who have known Raut from his early journalist days vouch for the fact that he is well-informed, articulate and aggressive, but at times he is given to making flippant remarks. “He is not doing anything intentionally. But, he —through his statements — is giving opportunity to the Opposition to twist and turn his statements to bring strain in the relations between the Sena and Congresss,” a senior Sena leader said.