PM Modi Akola Rally: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday hit out at the Congress for opposing the Bharatiya Janata Party’s proposal to confer the Bharat Ratna on Hindutva icon Veer Savarkar. Speaking at an election rally in Maharashtra’s Akola, PM Modi said those who had insulted Bhimrao Ambedkar in the past are now busy insulting Savarkar.

“It is due to Savarkar’s sanskar (values) that we put nationalism as basis for nation building. These people insulted Ambedkar and blocked efforts to accord him Bharat Ratna for decades,” PM Modi said.

He went on to accuse the previous Congress governments in Maharashtra for numerous terror incidents which took place in the state.

“At one time, there were regular incidents of terrorism and hatred in Maharashtra. The culprits got away, and settled in different countries. India wants to ask the people who were in power then, how did all of this happen? How did they escape?” PM Modi said.

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The Prime Minister’s reaction came a day after the Congress slammed the BJP for promising Bharat Ratna for Veer Savarkar and social reformers Jyotiba Phule, Savitribai Phule in its manifesto for Maharashtra Assembly elections.

“If on the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, this government considers any such thing (giving Bharat Ratna to Savarkar), than all I want to say is that God save this country,” Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari said.

Tewari added that Savarkar had faced criminal trial in the murder of Mahatma Gandhi, however, he was later acquitted.