Shah has failed to understand Maharashtra, says Raut on BJP leader's Savarkar dare

Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Sunday said Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who asked Uddhav Thackeray-led party to make Congress say good words about Hindutva ideologue V D Savarkar, has failed to understand Maharashtra.

Shah on Sunday that Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray was siding with Congress, whose leaders have insulted Balasaheb Thackeray and Veer Savarkar.

The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi’s poll promises are an insult to ideology and promote appeasement, said Shah after unveiling the BJP's manifesto for the November 20 Maharashtra assembly polls.

Talking to reporters, Raut said, ''Shah hasn't understood Maharashtra. He should first speak about the insult to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj as a statue the government erected and Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled collapsed in eight months." This isn't the first time the BJP has taken a dig at the MVA over Congress's stand on Savarkar.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday dared Congress allies in Maharashtra to get party MP Rahul Gandhi to speak for 15 minutes in praise of Hindutva ideologue V D Savarkar and Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray.

Without naming Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray or any other MVA allies, Modi had said, “I want to dare Congress’ allies to make the Congress yuvraj (Rahul Gandhi) speak 15 minutes in praise of Savarkar and his sacrifices for the country. Similarly, the yuvraj should also be made to speak in praise of Balasaheb Thackeray."