Manmohan Singh's statement on Savarkar was misunderstood: Surjewala

Kaithal (Haryana) [India], Oct 18 (ANI): The Congress is seemingly on the backfoot after the Bharatiya Janata Party's proposed idea to back Hindutva ideologue Veer Savarkar for Bharat Ratna.

Speaking to ANI, the Congress' national media in-charge and candidate from Kaithal Assembly constituency in Haryana, Randeep Singh Surjewala clarified that the statement of former prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh had not been understood properly.

"I think his statement is not understood fully and if you read his statement in full context, the meaning would be clear. The question is not of Savarkar but of ideology that killed Gandhi. The ideology of Nathuram Godse and its patron is Savarkar," Surjewala said.

He also rubbished BJP leader OP Dhankar's charge that Gandhi was never imprisoned in Cellular Jail. "Because he is losing elections, he is forgetting the history as well. Insulting Gandhi is a favourite time pass for BJP. Shah and Modi should apologize for insulting Gandhi," he said.

On the charges that he had deserted his MLA constituency to fight polls for the Lok Sabha, the senior Congress leader stated that this wasn't even an issue as this was a decision taken by the party high command. "It was the party's decision which was abided by me and everyone. If tomorrow Prime Minister Narendra Modiji tell Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar to contest Rohtak's bypoll can he say no? I was told by party and I followed the discipline of the party," he said.

He indicated that the BJP's push for nationalism and recent abrogation of Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir is not going to have much impact on the forthcoming Assembly polls.

"They are contesting this election on Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bengal, Assam, Jammu and Kashmir but refrain from speaking on what Centre and state did for Haryana. When you have written nothing in paper, Haryana's 2.5 crore people will give you zero marks," he added.

The Congress leader claimed that the voters of the state were fed up with high electricity bills and high unemployment. "Even the Jat-non Jat confrontation is the creation of the BJP there is no such division or aste strife," he claimed.

He also stated that former PCC chief and senior leader Ashok Tanwar's campaigning for JJP is not going to have much effect on the Congress vote share. "Till the time he was in Congress, I believe that if someone leaves, we should strive to get that person back in the fold. Now, that he has left and no longer Congress member, I would not like to comment on it." he said.

Polling for the 90-member Haryana Assembly is scheduled to take place on October 21, while results will be announced on October 24.