New Delhi, Nov 25: Taking on Rahul Gandhi for his remarks over Veer Savarkar , Akhil Bhartiya Hindu Mahasabha National President Swami Chakrapani has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to "restrict" the Congress leader's social and political activities for "insulting the freedom fighter".
In a letter to PM Modi dated Nov 19, Chakrapani said that the Hindu Mahasabha has decided to install a statue of Veer Savarkar in front of the Congress headquarters in the national capital. "Congress Party which is founded by Englishman AO Hume and its leader Rahul Gandhi has humiliated freedom fighter Veer Savarkar again and again," he wrote. Calling Gandhi "mentally ill", the Mahasabha president said that the Congress leader is committing a crime if he is "insulting the great freedom fighter of India at the behest of the British".
"Rahul Gandhi is mentally ill and he needs mental treatment in Agra. If he is insulting the great freedom fighter of India at the behest of the British, it is also a crime. For this, the government must ban Rahul Gandhi's all political activities immediately and put him behind bars," he wrote. "On next February 26, on the occasion of the Death anniversary of Veer Savarkar Hindu Mahasabha has decided to install a statue of Veer Savarkar in front of Congress Headquarters at 24 Akbar Road in Delhi," the letter stated. The Hindu Mahasabha also urged PM Modi to rename Akbar Road with Veer Savarkar road and award him with Bharat Ratna.
Earlier, Rahul Gandhi, reading from a letter purportedly written by Savarkar to the British, claimed the saffron ideologue betrayed leaders such as Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel by signing on a letter of apology to the British before independence. "Veer Savarkar wrote to the British saying, 'Sir, I beg to remain your most obedient servant', and signed on it. Savarkar helped the British. He betrayed leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Patel by signing this letter out of fear," he had said. BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra lashed out at Gandhi over his remarks calling them "deplorable".