Stop insulting Vinayak Savarkar or Maha Vikas Aghadi may split: Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena faction

Shiv Sena led by Uddhav Thackeray has warned Congress that if its leaders keep on talking ill about Vinayak Savarkar, there could be cracks in the Maha Vikas Aghadi.

Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Friday said the party will not tolerate attacks on the Hindutva ideologue, referring to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's comments criticising Savarkar amid his Bharat Jodo Yatra on Thursday.

"Bharat Jodo Yatra has got a good response in the country on the issues of dictatorship, inflation, unemployment, and other issues; even in Maharashtra it got a good response... At such a time, there was no need to bring out the issue of Savarkar," Raut said. "It's not just us, but even Congress leaders are upset. If this happens, then there could be a split in the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance."


Congress leaders called up Raut and tried to patch up.

Raut said there was no reason for Gandhi to bring out the issue of Savarkar in the yatra. That too in Maharashtra.

"Veer Savarkar has always been revered by us and will continue to be," he said. "Yesterday, Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray has made it clear that any insult to Veer Savarkar would not be accepted and tolerated by the Shiv Sena."

The Sena MP's warning to Congress came after BJP, MNS and the Eknath Shinde-led faction of Shiv Sena criticised the Thackeray-led party for not protesting enough against Gandhi's remarks on Savarkar.

Deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis of BJP alleged that Sena was not speaking against Gandhi as it was desperate for power. "They just keep talking. It is clear that for power the Uddhav group's Shiv Sena would remain with Congress," he said. "Every time Congress leaders have come to Maharashtra and have said disparaging stuff about Savarkar...the Shiv Sena has not done anything." Fadnavis also warned Gandhi that the state government would not hesitate to take action if he breaks the law.