Smriti Irani's '10 gens Savarkar' remark on Rahul gets 'Godse' retort from Salman Khurshid

Amid the ongoing tussle between Shiv Sena and its newly formed ally Congress over freedom fighter Veer Savarkar, Congress leader Salman Khurshid has reiterated the party's stand stating that the party doesn't believe in Savarkar. "We do not believe in Savarkar. We believe in Gandhi ji, Smriti ji (Union Minister Smriti Irani) believes in Godse. We have different ideologies," said Khurshid.

READ | Aaditya Thackeray Concedes Shiv Sena-Congress Difference Of Opinion; Claims 'All Is Well'

Congress party's booklet of derogatory claims on Savarkar

The issue over Savarkar heated up earlier in January when Congress party's grass-root organisation Seva Dal had distributed booklets during its 10 days workshop in Madhya Pradesh which had derogatory remarks on Savarkar which also claimed that Savarkar had a physical relationship with Mahatma Gandhi's assassin Nathuram Godse. The booklet caused outrage across several Savarkar followers and political parties demanding the withdrawal of the literature.

READ | Is Raut's Savarkar Comment Sena's Official Stand? Chavan

Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut who was instrumental in carving an alliance of Shiv Sena with NCP and Congress of the Maha Vikas Aghadi, had slammed the Congress for its derogatory remarks against Savarkar. Raut has time and again stated that those who do not consider Savarkar a hero do not know him well. Over the dispute of conferring Bharat Ratna to Savarkar, Raut took an indirect jibe on Congress and reiterated that those against Savarkar must spend two days in the Andaman Cellular jail where Savarkar was lodged.

READ | Aaditya Thackeray Distances From Raut, Unsure Of Capacity In Which He Made Savarkar Remark

Shiv Sena has played neutral over Savarkar after the formation of Maharashtra government with the support of NCP and Congress. Shiv Sena was quick to distance itself from Raut's comment and maintained a soft stand against Congress. Shiv Sena scion and now a Maharashtra cabinet minister, Aaditya Thackeray while reacting on this, urged people to talk about current issues like GDP and unemployment instead of history. "We should learn from history and move forward," he added.

READ | Smriti Irani Agrees Rahul Is Not Savarkar: '10 Generations Can't Be Like Him'