Congress on Tuesday strongly opposed the demand of BJP national vice president and state’s former chief minister Raman Singh to confer country’s highest civilian award, Bharat Ratna on Hindu Mahasabha leader Vinayak Damodar Savarkar.
PCC chief spokesperson, Sushil Anand Shukla in a statement said the demand for Bharat Ratna for Savarkar was a result of “divisive culture inherited” by Raman from Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh.
Shukla said Raman should “come out of his narrow-mindset and study the history of India properly.”
The character of Savarkar was suspicious right from the beginning and would remain the same, he said.
“Why he should be awarded the Bharat Ratna. Is it for seeking apology from the British nine times or for appealing to youth not to join Azad Hind Fauz of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose,” he questioned.
Shukla further asked whether Raman was seeking the Bharat Ratna for Savarkar for the charges framed against the Hindu Mahasabha leader over assassination of Mahatma Gandhi, on which he (Savarkar) was acquitted on absence of substantial proofs.
Shukla further stated that when the entire nation was unitedly fighting against the British, Savarkar and Muslim League leader Mohammad Ali Jinnah were evoking religious fanaticism for their vested interest, which had weakened the spirit of freedom struggle.