Shiv Sena accuses BJP of using Veer Savarkar as a political ploy

On the occasion of 'Marathi Bhasha Din' (Marathi Language Day), Shiv Sena accused the BJP in Maharashtra of playing the politics of 'neo-nationalism' by misusing the name of Hindutva ideologue Vinayak Damodar Savarkar.

"The BJP leaders in Maharashtra have expressed that they will target the state government over the issue of Vinayak Damodar Savarkar. This makes it clear that the BJP has started treating Savarkar as a political ploy," Sena mouthpiece, Saamna's editorial on Thursday read.

"Today the BJP says it will target the MVA government over the issue of Veer Savarkar. Why do Fadnavis and other BJP leaders not talk to the Centre rather than asking questions from the Maharashtra government? When Fadnavis was in power, he had written two letters to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to bestow the 'Bharat Ratna' on Veer Savarkar. What happened to the two letters? The Centre took no notice of the two letters. This is disrespect of Maharashtra and Veer Savarkar," it added.

Further clarifying its stance, the editorial read, "The saffron flag is the identity of Shiv Sena too but we fly the tricolour also. This is our nationalism. BJP is playing the politics of neo-nationalism by using freedom fighter Veer Savarkar as a shield... The love which BJP has suddenly found for Veer Savarkar is fake."

Through the editorial, Sena said that Savarkar had also held meetings with Mahatma Gandhi, and urged the "new-found Savarkar fans" to learn more about these meetings.

"Veer Savarkar played a big role in the Independence movement. But where was the BJP or the then 'Sangh Parivaar' (RSS) during the entire freedom movement. They did not even celebrate the Independence Day and the tricolour did not fly from the Sangh headquarters," it read.