On Friday, senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh addressed the divergence of views between his party and the Shiv Sena, led by Uddhav Thackeray, on V D Savarkar. Ramesh emphasized that despite the disagreement, both parties have chosen to “agree to disagree” on the matter, dispelling concerns about potential rifts within the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance.
In a conversation with Sanjay Raut, Ramesh clarified that the disagreement over Savarkar would not weaken the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance, which has been in existence for three years. The alliance was formed based on a common minimum program, and Raut assured Ramesh that the issue at hand would not destabilize the alliance.
Thackeray, the former chief minister of Maharashtra, had expressed the Shiv Sena’s disagreement with a statement made by Rahul Gandhi during his Bharat Jodo Yatra. Gandhi had asserted that Savarkar had submitted mercy petitions to the British, contrasting him with freedom fighters like Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Patel, and Pandit Nehru. Raut had earlier noted that Gandhi’s statement could lead to bitterness within the alliance.
Addressing concerns about threats received by Gandhi due to his comments, Ramesh acknowledged the public response to the yatra had triggered some individuals, leading to the issuance of threats. Ramesh affirmed that there would be no compromise on Rahul Gandhi’s security, given the history of violence against his grandmother and father.
Responding to threats from the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), Ashok Chavan, a Congress leader and former chief minister, downplayed them as “small threats.” Chavan highlighted the significant support Gandhi’s yatra had garnered, indicating that such minor threats were inconsequential.
Ramesh, who holds the position of Congress general secretary in charge of communications, acknowledged that they were aware of potential actions such as tearing down posters, as witnessed in Karnataka. However, he emphasized that the overwhelming turnout for the yatra was a clear response from the people.
Ramesh concluded by stating that certain historical facts, such as the positions taken by Savarkar, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the RSS opposing the Quit India movement in 1942, and Shyama Prasad Mukherjee advocating the partition of Bengal, were immutable. He stressed the need for discussing such historical nuances with an unbiased mind, discouraging reliance on social media and WhatsApp for these conversations.
