Jairam Ramesh: ‘Savarkar chapter is closed’

Days after the Shiv Sena’s Uddhav Thackeray-led faction claimed that Member of Parliament Rahul Gandhi’s attacks on the Hindutva ideologue during the Maharashtra leg of the Bharat Jodo Yatra may have an impact on their alliance in the state, former Union minister Jairam Ramesh said on Wednesday that the “Savarkar chapter is closed.”

He criticised the BJP for disseminating untruths about Congress politicians. The day the BJP and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), its ideological fulcrum, quit disseminating lies about their leaders, he said, is the day they will stop speaking the truths about theirs.

At a press conference as the yatra entered the BJP-ruled state of Madhya Pradesh, Ramesh made the remarks. Similar remarks about the controversy over Gandhi’s remarks about Savarkar were made by Ramesh on Sunday.

Gandhi criticised Savarkar once more for seeking mercy from the British in order to be released from prison. Ramesh later cleared the air with Sanjay Raut, the head of the Shiv Sena’s Uddhav Thackeray faction.

Digvijaya Singh, a former chief minister of Madhya Pradesh, attacked the Gujarat election campaign of Prime Minister Narendra Modi while speaking at the press conference alongside Ramesh.

 “Modi says he built Gujarat. Is not this a reflection of his ego? I salute this storyteller who says he built Gujarat. But if he thinks that he is the only devout Hindu, then I would criticise him.”

According to him, Sanatan Dharm views the entire universe as its family. Consequently, we must transform animosity into love and promote social peace. He declared that they weren’t using the yatra to solicit votes. “This pilgrimage is intended to close the wealth-poverty gap. To stop the growth of enmity amongst religious communities, this yatra is being held.