Maharashtra Polls: BJP Promises Bharat Ratna For Veer Savarkar In Manifesto

Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2019: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), in its manifesto for the upcoming state polls, has promised to push for Bharat Ratna to be awarded to Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, also known as Veer Savarkar. BJP also sought Bharat Ratna for reformers Mahatma Jyotiba Phule and Savitribai Phule. The BJP released its poll manifesto called the ‘Sankalp Patra’ for the Maharashtra elections in presence of Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis and party working president JP Nadda in Mumbai. The Manifesto is titled - 'Sampanna, Samruddha, Samarth Maharashtra'.

In its 44-page manifesto, BJP promised to work towards getting a Bharat Ratna- India's highest civilian honour, for Savarkar.

BJP leader Subramanian Swamy lauded the development and tweeted: "Good that Govt has decided to award Veer Savarkar the Bharat Ratna".

Good that Govt has decided to award Veer Savarkar the Bharat Ratna

— Subramanian Swamy (@Swamy39) October 15, 2019

The promise of Bharat Ratna for Savarkar can be seen as move to seize the issue from ally Shiv Sena ahead of polls. Shiv Sena has, lately, been batting for Bharat Ratna for Savarkar. Shiv Sena chief Uddahv Thackeray has hit out at the Opposition, saying those who cannot speak well about Sarvarkar does not deserve to rule the country.

Last month, Thackeray said that the activist and late politician must be awarded the Bharat Ratna. He had also claimed that if Savarkar had become the prime minister of the country, there would have no Pakistan. In August, Thackeray had said that people who don’t believe in Veer Savarkar must be 'beaten in public'.

The BJP and Shiv Sena are contesting the upcoming elections in Maharashtra together, there is also an underlying rivalry between the two parties with both trying to emerge as the bigger party in the combine.

Maharashtra's 288 Assembly seats will go to polls in 21 October 2019. Maharashtra assembly elections will be held in a single-phase and the counting procedure would be conducted on October 24.