Ally Sena, rival BJP attack Congress on key affiliate Seva Dal's insinuation against Savarkar

The Congress on Friday came under attack from both its new ally Shiv Sena and rival BJP over an insinuation by its key frontal organisation Seva Dal about Veer Savarkar's relationship with Mahatma Gandhi's assassin Nathuram Godse.

The Sena said the Congress had "dirt" in their mind by questioning Savarkar's credentials as a patriot and his reputation for valour while the BJP described as abhorrent and perverted the comments by the Seva Dal against the Hindutva ideologue in a Hindi booklet. The BJP also demanded an apology from the Congress.

BJP general secretary Anil Jain took a swipe at the Congress, saying "world knows various relationships of Congress leaders" but he does not want to throw such muck.

The Hindi booklet, distributed at a camp of Congress-affiliated Seva Dal in Madhya Pradesh, had claimed that Veer Savarkar and Nathuram Godse were in a physical relationship.

"Veer Savarkar was a great man and will remain a great man. A section keeps talking against him. This shows the dirt in their mind," Raut said, responding to the insinuations in the booklet, titled "Veer Savarkar, Kitne 'Veer'?"