Thackeray defends Savarkar over Digvijay's statement

MUMBAI: Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray on Monday defended freedom fighter Veer Savarkar against Congress General Secretary Digvijay Singh's statement that Savarkar was the first to moot the two-nation theory that led to partition.

"Singh is distorting the history to attract Muslim votes. Savarkar was a supporter of the united India till the end and against creation of Pakistan," Thackeray said in an editorial in the party mouthpiece `Saamana'.

"During 1945 elections, Mahatma Gandhi assured that the country would not be divided. But Savarkar had no faith in Gandhi's assurance and repeatedly said "Congress would accept the partition and vote to Congress means supporting the partition," Thackeray said.

But no one trusted Savarkar and then RSS chief and leader of Hindu Mahasabha Dr S P Mukherjee and few others withdrew from the election in 1945, he said. Later, RSS chief confessed to the mistake, he added.

"Savarkar was totally against the partition but he was isolated. He opened a front against creation of Pakistan. In order to give global publicity to his voice, Savarkar sent a telegraph to United Press of America, a news agency in 1944 against the formation of the Pakistan," the Sena chief said.

In his last effort, Savarkar convened a conference of Hindus on August 8, 1947 to appeal people to continue their battle for united India but in vain, he said.

Singh had said Savarkar was the first to moot the two-nation theory which was later adopted by Muhammad Ali Jinnah and that led to the partition.