Bengaluru: A new political controversy has erupted after Karnataka Health and Family Welfare Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao made provocative remarks about Veer Savarkar, claiming that the Hindu nationalist leader was a Brahmin who ate beef and did not oppose cow slaughter. These comments, made during a public address, have sparked outrage from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and triggered a wider debate on Savarkar’s legacy and ideology.
Gundu Rao described Savarkar as a “modern” thinker in some respects but labelled him a “fundamentalist” in others. He contrasted Savarkar’s outlook with that of Mahatma Gandhi and Muhammad Ali Jinnah. “Gandhi was a staunch vegetarian with deep belief in Hindu cultural orthodoxy but also a democratic man,” Rao said. “On the other hand, Jinnah was never a fanatic, but Savarkar was.”
Rao went on to explain that while some have claimed Savarkar openly ate meat despite being a Brahmin, he later became a controversial figure due to his association with radical Hindutva ideologies. He warned of the dangers of fundamentalism, citing Nathuram Godse, Gandhi’s assassin, as an example of a radicalised individual influenced by such ideologies. Rao also criticised cow vigilantism in the context of rising extremism, stating, “This fundamentalism is taking deep roots in the country.”
In response, BJP leaders fiercely condemned Gundu Rao’s remarks, accusing him of insulting a revered freedom fighter. Union Minister Anurag Thakur hit back, saying, “Congress is a factory of lies. India will not tolerate any insult of Veer Savarkar, who dedicated his life to the country.”
Thakur further attacked the Congress, accusing it of disrespecting freedom fighters and continuing an anti-national agenda. He pointed to past Congress actions, such as the introduction of Article 370, as examples of party failures that cost thousands of lives. Thakur also criticised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, calling him the “modern Jinnah” for allegedly spreading anti-India sentiment abroad.
This exchange has intensified the political clash between the Congress and BJP, with Savarkar’s legacy becoming a focal point of debate once again. While Congress accuses BJP of promoting fundamentalism, the BJP continues to defend Savarkar’s reputation as a freedom fighter and nationalist hero.