Culture Minister slams Congress leaders for criticising proposal to give Bharat Ratna to Savarkar

Union Minister Prahlad Patel on Saturday slammed leaders of Congress and some other opposition parties for being critical of proposal in BJP's Maharashtra manifesto confer Bharat Ratna to Hindutva ideologue Vinayak Damodar Savarkar and said controversy over the issue is "craziness".

Union Minister Prahlad Patel on Saturday slammed leaders of Congress and some other opposition parties for being critical of proposal in BJP's Maharashtra manifesto confer Bharat Ratna to Hindutva ideologue Vinayak Damodar Savarkar and said controversy over the issue is "craziness". "Congress always played with history. We were, we are and we will be proud of Savarkar," Patel the Union Culture Minister told ANI.

Patel said he has read and heard stories of Savarkar's bravery since his childhood. "Those creating controversy, I think, it is their craziness (ye unka sirfirapan hai). The Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) has put his views before the country on Savarkar. The entire country agrees with him. Savarkar was a great nationalist leader. No one should doubt it," he said.

The BJP in its manifesto for Maharashtra elections said it will propose Veer Savarkar for Bharat Ratna. Congress leader and former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has opposed the proposal to give Bharat Ratna to Savarkar. Some other party leaders including Manish Tewari and Digvijaya Singh also made remarks critical of the proposal. (ANI)

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