‘You can’t match courage of Savarkar, even in 10 generations’

VARANASI: Union minister Smriti Irani on Saturday hit back at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his remark on freedom fighter Veer Savarkar by telling him that he could not match courage of Savarkar, even in his 10 generations.

Irani made the scathing remark against Gandhi during her rally in favour of Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in the city.

Her outburst against Gandhi came after Congress scion had recently commented, “My name is Rahul Gandhi, not Rahul Savarkar”, while responding to BJP’s demand for an apology for his ‘rape in India’ remark.

Irani accused Congress’s Seva Dal of humiliating Veer Savarkar by distributing a booklet, comprising indecent language against the great patriot Savarkar.

She said, “When Congress came to power in Maharashtra, its Seva Dal distributed a booklet, using indecent words against freedom fighter and national hero Veer Savarkar, on whom the British officers showered canes during independence movement.” She said that the person, who had been driven away by people of Amethi, said in Delhi, “I am not Rahul Savarkar.”

“I want to tell you Rahul Gandhi that tumhari 10 pushte bhi akar khatma ho jaye to sawarkar jaisa sahas tumame nahi ho sakta (Even if your 10 generations come and go, you can’t match the courage of Savarkar).”

Taking a jibe at Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s recent visit to temples in Kashi, union minister Irani called Priyanka a ‘parachute’ leader, who patted the back of such criminal elements, who pelted UP police personnel with stones, damaged buses and trains in protest against CAA.