Mumbai, October 18: Ranjeet Savarkar, grandson of Vinayak Savarkar on Friday hit out at All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) Chief Asaduddin Owaisi for opposing the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) demand of giving Bharat Ratna to the Hindutva Ideologue. Ranjeet called Savarkar a secular man and asked Owaisi to follow his belief. He also schooled the AIMIM chief of keeping aside the religion before entering Parliament. Bharat Ratna For Veer Savarkar? BJP Manifesto For Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2019 Proposes Highest Civilian Award For RSS Ideologue.

Savarkar’s grandson said, “Owaisi should follow Savarkar's belief that keep religion in your house, when out you are not Hindu or Muslim but Indian. Savarkar expected all who enter Parliament to keep caste, religion, sex etc. out. You won’t find a more secular man than Savarkar.”

Ranjeet further added that former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had also honoured Savarkar. He stated, “I strongly feel she was his follower because she brought Pakistan to its knees, strengthened army and foreign relations, she also did nuclear tests. All this is against Nehru and Gandhi's philosophy.” Bharat Ratna For Savarkar? Congress, AIMIM Hit Back at BJP For Demanding Bharat Ratna For Vinayak Savarkar.

Ranjeet Savarkar's Statement:

After the BJP in its election manifesto for the Maharashtra Assembly polls promised to nominate Savarkar for Bharat Ratna, opposition parties including Congress and AIMIM slammed the saffron party. Hitting out at the BJP, Owaisi had said that the honour should be conferred upon Nathuram Godse as well. He also said that Kapoor Commission which was probing the murder of Mahatma Gandhi had found Savarkar as one of the conspirators.

The Congress also targeted the BJP over its poll promise. Senior Congress leader Debabrata Saikia on Thursday asserted that the BJP's decision to nominate Hindutva ideologue V D Savarkar for the Bharat Ratna is an insult to the memory of Mahatma Gandhi.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 18, 2019 09:03 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).