Cong must answer till how long will it insult Veer Savarkar: Smriti Irani

Union Minister Smriti Irani on Friday asked the Congress if it will continue to humiliate Veer Savarkar and other freedom fighters just because they were "utterly disliked" by Rahul Gandhi. The Congress, which is part of the ruling coalition in Maharashtra, will have to answer to the Marathi people and all patriots in the country as to how long it will continue to "insult the sacrifice" of Veer Savarkar, Irani said at the Delhi BJP office after launching the party's 'Meri Dilli, Mera Sujhav' campaign.

Under the drive, the BJP will take suggestions from people to draft its manifesto for the Delhi polls. The Union minister also asked if it was "the Gandhi clan's birthright" to "humiliate" Veer Savarkar.

Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, commonly known as Veer Savarkar, was an Indian independence activist, politician, lawyer, writer, and the formulator of the Hindutva philosophy. "Will they eulogise only those born in the Gandhi clan, and humiliate lakhs of Indians who served at Kala Pani, suffered barbaric treatment at the hands of the British, and Veer Savarkar just because they are utterly disliked (footi ankh nahin suhate) by Congress shahzada (Rahul Gandhi)," Irani told reporters.

She launched the campaign along with other BJP leaders, including the party's Delhi unit chief Manoj Tiwari and Union minister and Delhi assembly election co-incharge Nityanand Rai. When asked about Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's "Bhagwa" comment, Irani accused the Congress of mixing politics with religion "I myself witnessed in the Lok Sabha elections in Amethi, how Mrs Vadra took to streets and offered namaz just to win elections. It does not behove those who mix religion with politics when they try to define the Hindu religion," she said.

On Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot backing Priyanka Gandhi over her comment by terming it as a "game changer", Irani said his statement "certified" for the Congress, religion was a part of politics and not a matter of faith. Priyanka Gandhi attacking Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had said last month that, "he wears the dress (vastra) of an yogi. He wears saffron clothes. This bhagwa (saffron) is not yours, it belongs to 'dhaarmik' (religious), 'aadhyaatmik' (spiritual) tradition of Hindustan."PTI VIT CK VIT ANB

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