'If Rahul Gandhi Continues To Speak In Same Tone...': CM Shinde Slams Cong Leader Over Savarkar Remark

“My name is not Savarkar, it is Gandhi, and Gandhis never offer apology,” Rahul Gandhi said.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde

Source : ANI

New Delhi: Launching a scathing attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his remarks on Hindu ideologue VD Savarkar, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said any amount of criticism will be less for Gandhi and that he should be punished for his statement.

Speaking in the Maharashtra Assembly on Saturday, CM Shinde, as quoted by news agency ANI, said, “Savarkar is not only Maharashtra's deity but is an idol for the whole country and Rahul Gandhi has defamed him. Any criticism of Rahul Gandhi will be lesser for his this deed. Today also, he said that I am not Savarkar who will apologise. What does he think of Savarkar? He must be punished for this.”

This comes in the light of Rahul Gandhi’s press conference earlier in the day where he said he would not apologise for his remarks on Indian democracy in his recent visit to London. “My name is not Savarkar, it is Gandhi, and Gandhis never offer apology,” the Congress leader said.

The comment comes as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) demanded that Rahul Gandhi apologise for his remarks during his London visit as he claimed that the structures of Indian democracy are under “brutal attack” and that there is a full-scale assault on the institutions of the country. He had alleged that microphones in the Lok Sabha were often "silenced" against the Opposition.

Taking potshots at the Congress leader, Shinde further said, “Rahul Gandhi has been suspended by the law which was made by Congress itself. Lalu Yadav and several others were disqualified but nothing of this sort happened then. Wasn't Democracy in danger then?”

Condemning Gandhi for his remarks on ‘Modi surname’ for which he is convicted by a Surat court, CM Shinde said, “Rahul Gandhi has not only criticised PM Modi but has defamed the entire OBC community. He is continuing to speak in the same tone and I want to tell him that if he continues to do so, it will be difficult for him to walk on the road.”