A file photo of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
Credit: PTI Photo
Mumbai: Amid the increasing heat and tempo of electioneering, Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister and BJP’s trouble-shooter Devendra Fadnavis asked Congress leader and Wayand MP Rahul Gandhi to see the recently-released film—Swatantrya Veer Savarkar—based on the life of the Hindutva icon.
Rahul Gandhi is a known critic of Savarkar.
Maharashtra-born Vinayak Damodar Savarkar (28 May, 1883 -26 February, 1966), popularly known as Veer Savarkar, is a revered icon.
“I believe Rahul Gandhi has neither read about nor tried to understand Savarkar. I appeal to Rahul Gandhi to watch this film and if he is willing to watch it, I will book the entire theatre on my money just for him… Maybe then he will stop making baseless statements about Savarkar,” said Fadnavis.
The film Swatantrya Veer Savarkar, released on 22 March, is directed, co-written, and co-produced by Randeep Hooda, who also plays the titular role.
Attending the Marathi premiere of the film, Fadnavis said: “This is not just a film but a righteous attempt to bring to the world the bravery, sacrifice and determination of Veer Savarkar, the brave son of Bharat Mata. The attempt to show the important events of Savarkar ji's life such as the hardships suffered in the black water of Andaman, the jump from a ship in the sea at Marseilles Island, the work is worth watching.”
Reacting to the statement, Congress general secretary and chief spokesperson Atul Londhe-Patil said: “Rahul Gandhi doesn't need to watch…his family is full of heroes.”
Shiv Sena (UBT) head and former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray offered to pay for Fadnavis' travel and hotel expenses if he was ready to travel to the troubled state of Manipur, which is ruled by the BJP.
“First, Fadnavis should go to Manipur, then to Ladakh, Darjeeling…He should go to Arunachal Pradesh. He should go and meet Kashmiri Pandits… I am ready to bear all his expenditures,” Thackeray told reporters in Delhi.