'He Is Not A National Issue': NCP Chief Sharad Pawar On Savarkar Row

NCP chief Sharad Pawar said that while Savarkar is not a national issue, his contribution to India's freedom movement should not be overlooked.

NCP Chief Sharad Pawar During A Press Conference On Saturday (April 1)

Source : PTI

Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar said on Saturday (April 1) said that nobody can deny the late Hindutva ideologue VD Savarkar's sacrifice for the country's independence struggle, but disagreements over him cannot be made a national issue today because there are many pressing issues to address.

"Savarkar has said many progressive things. As I said earlier also that we should see the progressive side of Savarkar. Today he is not here. So there is no need to discuss any topic about those who are not here. Savarkar is not a national issue:" Pawar was quoted as saying by the news agency ANI. 

Maharashtra | Savarkar has said many progressive things. As I said earlier also that we should see the progressive side of Savarkar. Today he is not here. So there is no need to discuss any topic about those who are not here. Savarkar is not a national issue: NCP chief Sharad… pic.twitter.com/1oE6Vemo15

— ANI (@ANI) April 1, 2023

Further defending Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who has been targeted by the Bharatiya Janata Party for discussing Indian issues on foreign soil, he stated that this is not the first time an Indian has discussed Indian issues while abroad.

"I don't think that this (Rahul Gandhi's London speech) issue is that much important because it is not that criticism is being done today only in the past also leaders have criticised the government. Only now such issues are being brought up repeatedly. If people have problems over any issues in the country and if someone talks about them, then those issues should be addressed:" he added. 

Even decades after his death, the debate over Hindutva icon Veer Savarkar's role in India's freedom movement continues. Former Congress MP and President Rahul Gandhi have continued to publicly criticise Savarkar over the latter's alleged mercy petitions to Britishers prior to independence.

Even Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena faction has expressed its displeasure with Rahul's attack on Savarkar and has opted out of the Congress' Opposition meeting.