Malegaon

Cautioning Congress leader Rahul Gandhi not to insult Vinayak Savarkar, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday warned that demeaning Savarkar would create "cracks" in the opposition alliance.

Uddhav further said that he considers Hindutva ideologue V D Savarkar as his idol and asked the Congress leader to refrain from insulting him.

"Savarkar suffered unimaginable torture in the Andaman cellular jail for 14 years. We can only read the sufferings. It is a form of sacrifice. We will not tolerate the insult of Savarkar," Uddhav said.

He further added that there would be 'cracks' in the opposition alliance if Gandhi continues to 'demean' Savarkar.

"Veer Savarkar is our God, and any disrespect towards him will not be tolerated. We are prepared to fight, but insulting our Gods is not something we will tolerate," the Shiv Sena (UBT) chief said.

"The alliance of the Uddhav faction, Congress and NCP was made to protect democracy and we need to work unitedly. Rahul Gandhi is being provoked deliberately but if we waste time in this, democracy will cease to exist," Uddhav said while addressing a rally in Malegaon.

Uddhav was referring to Rahul Gandhi's recent statement where he said that he is not Savarkar.

"My name is not Savarkar, my name is Gandhi and Gandhi does not offer an apology to anyone," Rahul said on Saturday in a press conference following his disqualification as an MP after conviction in defamation case.

Rahul Gandhi was disqualified as a Member of Parliament following the Surat court order convicting him in a criminal defamation case over his 'Modi surname' remark.

Uddhav Thackeray, whose Sena faction is an ally of Congress and the NCP in the state, however, urged Rahul Gandhi to not get provoked and to come together to "save India's democracy".

Thackeray, however, praised Gandhi's questioning of the government on the Hindenburg report, saying the Prime Minister should have answered from where the '20,000 cr had come into the Adani firm.

Thackeray came down heavily on the BJP argument over Rahul Gandhi's remark against Modi, saying that Modi is not India.

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"Modi is not India. Did our freedom fighters lay down their lives for this? Questioning Modi is not about insulting India," he said.