'Savarkar Ate Beef, Wasn't Against Cow Slaughter': Karnataka Minister Sparks Row, BJP Hits Back
Congress Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao claimed that Savarkar was not just a meat-eater, but also consumed beef. He said that Savarkar propagated this practice publicly, despite being a Brahmin.
After Rahul Gandhi, now Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao's recent comments on Vinayak Damodar Savarkar have triggered a controversy. The Congress leader said at an event in Bengaluru on October 2, that Savarkar was a non-vegetarian, who was not against cow slaughter and consumed beef himself. This drew criticism from the Bharatiya Janata Party, which hit back at the Congress for "insulting and disrespecting" Savarkar.
Dinesh Gundu Rao claimed that Savarkar was a meat-eater and propagated this practice publicly, despite being a Brahmin. The Congress minister further claimed that Savarkar did not practice the traditional dietary restrictions as a Brahmin as he was a modernist, India Today reported.
Rao said: "Savarkar was a Brahmin, but he ate beef and was a non-vegetarian. He did not oppose cow slaughter; in fact, he was quite a modernist on that topic."
VIDEO | "Savarkar was a non-veg eater and he was not against cow slaughter. As a Brahmin he was eating meat, and he was openly propagating eating meat," said Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao (@dineshgrao) speaking during an event in #Bengaluru.
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) October 3, 2024
(Source: Third Party)… pic.twitter.com/q2uXdZn6hP
Vinayak Damodar Savarkar or Veer Savarkar was an Indian activist and politician who was the leading figure in the Hindu Mahasabha. He has also published books such as The Indian War of Independence and Indian Rebellion of 1857, which were banned by the Britishers. Savarkar was arrested by the British government and sentenced to life imprisonment for 50 years in Andaman and Nicobar Island's Cellular Jail. However, he was released in 1924.
He is said to have boycotted Mahatma Gandhi's Quit India Movement and was charged as a co-conspirator in the former's assassination in 1948 due to his close links with Nathoram Godse. However, he was acquitted by the court over lack of evidence.
The Congress minister drew parallels between the views of Savarkar and those of Mahatma Gandhi, highlighting that former's ideology was based on fundamentalism, whereas, Gandhi’s beliefs were deeply rooted in democratic principles.
"Gandhi was a strict vegetarian with a deep belief in Hindu cultural conservatism. He was a democratic person in his approach," Dinesh Gundu Rao said, as he underscored the stark difference in the two leaders' ideologies.
According to Rao, what set Gandhi apart from Savarkar's fundamentalist thinking were his tolerance and inclusiveness.
Rao further went on to comment on Muhammad Ali Jinnah, claiming that he represented another extreme. The Congress leader said that Jinnah was not a hard-core Islamist. "Jinnah became an icon for Muslims. He was never a fundamentalist, but Savarkar was," he said.
BJP Hits Back: 'Why Is Cong Always Targeting Hindus?'
Following the Congress minister's controversial remarks, BJP leader R Ashok asked why the Congress was targeting Hindus and not Muslims. Ashok said: “Congress' God is Tipu Sultan. Why are you Congress people always targeting Hindus? Why not Muslims? The Congress mindset is like this. Hindus have given a verdict in the elections. Every Hindu will teach them a lesson."
Maharashtra deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis also hit out at the Congress over Rao's remarks on Savarkar. He stated that Rahul Gandhi started defaming Savarkar and that his party leaders were now taking his narrative forward and insulting the leader.
Fadnavis said: "These people do not know anything about Savarkar. They insult Savarkar ji again and again. Savarkar ji has expressed his views on cows very well. He has said that the cow helps the farmer from his birth till his death, hence we have given the status of a god to the cow."
BJP MP Anurag Thakur also lashed out at the Congress, calling the party a "factory of lies" and for "disrespecting freedome fighters".
On Karnataka Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao's statement, BJP MP Anurag Thakur said: "Congress is a factory of lies...India will not tolerate the disrespect of Veer Savarkar. Congress never learnt anything from Veer Savarkar who dedicated his life to the nation...Article 370 was given by the Congress party. It was a blunder of Jawaharlal Nehru and thousands of people died. They never apologised for it. By disrespecting Veer Savarkar they have shown that they don't respect freedom fighters. During the Congress government, Sardar Bhagat Singh was termed a separatist in textbooks...By making those who want to break the nation join the congress party, Rahul Gandhi is taking forward the ideology of 'tukde tukde' and he is a 'modern Jinnah' who speaks ill of the country abroad..."
#WATCH | Chandigarh: On Karnataka Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao's statement, BJP MP Anurag Thakur says, "Congress is a factory of lies...India will not tolerate the disrespect of Veer Savarkar. Congress never learnt anything from Veer Savarkar who dedicated his life to the… pic.twitter.com/i2DQSs82oL
— ANI (@ANI) October 3, 2024
BJP IT head Amit Malviya slammed the Congress over Rao's remarks and stated in a post on X: "The Congress leaders are poorly read nincompoops, who rever both Jawaharlal Nehru and Jinnah, for the same reason. Appeasement and balkanisation of India. While there can be no comparison of Jinnah and Swatantrya Veer Savarkar, ever, here is an excerpt from an exchange between the two in April 1941, where Jinnah threatened eruption of many Pakistans out of undivided India, if the government did not accede to their demands, after backtracking on his proposal to create a Dravidastan," Malviya said.
The Congress leaders are poorly read nincompoops, who rever both Jawaharlal Nehru and Jinnah, for the same reason. Appeasement and balkanisation of India.
— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) October 3, 2024
While there can be no comparison of Jinnah and Swatantrya Veer Savarkar, ever, here is an excerpt from an exchange between… pic.twitter.com/wCwjowhf8M
Rahul Gandhi Summoned By Nashik Court Over Remarks On Savarkar
The Karnataka minister's remarks came after Rahul Gandhi was summoned by a Nashik court on September 27 in connection with a defamation case filed against him for his alleged objectionable remarks on Veer Savarkar.
The complainant, who is reportedly the director of an NGO, alleged that Gandhi had defamed Savarkar with his statements during a press conference in Hingoli and in a speech in November 2022. He alleged that Gandhi knowingly harmed the reputation of Veer Savarkar in an attempt to defame the latter's image in the society.
According to the complainant, Gandhi had called Savarkar "BJP and RSS Jin" and that "with a folding hand Savarkar prayed for release and later on promised to work for the British Government".
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