‘Not our stand’: Congress distances itself from Shiv Sena’s demand for Bharat Ratna to Savarkar

Differences within the alliance partners of the Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition government in Maharashtra keep reflecting in public glare despite repeated denials of any rift or difference of opinion. Yesterday, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray cornered the BJP for not abiding by the power-sharing deal made before the election. Thackeray also attacked the BJP for not awarding Bharat Ratna to Vinayak Damodar Savarkar.

However, the demand did not go well with its ally Congress. Maharashtra Congress Chief Nana Patole today said that Congress doesn’t support Shiv Sena’s demand. “Bharat Ratna should be conferred upon Savitribai Phule and Shahuji Maharaj. Shiv Sena’s stand is not our stand,” said Patole reacting to the demand of Bharat Ratna for Savarkar.

Notably, in 2019, the Home Ministry had stated in Lok Sabha that while no formal recommendation is required to confer the highest civilian award to Veer Savarkar, the government is yet to decide on it. The Centre had also refused to give a timeline about conferring the Bharat Ratna on Veer Savarkar. It may be recalled that the BJP had promised to confer Bharat Ratna on Vinayak Damodar Savarkar during the Maharashtra Assembly Election 2019 campaign and had included it in its election manifesto.

Veer Savarkar was a proponent of Hindutva ideology. While the BJP and its allies consider him as a revered figure, the opposition parties have been critical of Savarkar for his ideology. Though many leaders in the past have supported the call of conferring Bharat Ratna on Veer Savarkar, opposition parties like AIMIM and Congress have been consistent in their objections to any such move.