"Must Apologise": Maharashtra BJP Chief On Rahul Gandhi's Savarkar Remark

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi must apologise and take back all his remarks against late Hindutva ideologue V D Savarkar before entering Maharashtra, BJP state chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule said here today.

Mr Bawankule was responding to queries from journalists on talks of Gandhi's likely visit to Mumbai to meet former chief minister Uddhav Thackeray.

The faction led by Mr Thackeray, the Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) had formed the government in Maharashtra under the banner of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) until it was brought down by a rebellion led by Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde last year. Shinde then joined hands with the BJP to become the CM.

The BJP has accused Mr Gandhi of repeatedly "insulting" Savarkar.

"We do not have objections if Rahul Gandhi visits Matoshree (Thackeray's home in Mumbai). But Rahul Gandhi had repeatedly and purposely targeted Savarkar. Hence, before coming to Maharashtra, he must first apologise and take back his remarks against Savakar," said Mr Bawankule.

Mr Gandhi recently met NCP chief Sharad Pawar as part of his party's efforts to cement Opposition unity, triggering talks of his likely meeting with Mr Thackeray.

Addressing a rally in Malegaon last month, Mr Thackeray had said that he considered Savarkar as his "idol" and asked the Congress leader to refrain from "insulting" him. He said the MVA was formed to protect democracy and it was necessary to work unitedly for it.

Mr Thackeray had also said that deliberate attempts were on to provoke Mr Gandhi.

"My name is not Savarkar, my name is Gandhi and Gandhi does not offer an apology to anyone," Mr Gandhi said last month responding to a query on repeated calls by the BJP seeking his apology over various issues.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)