Due to Rahul Gandhi's remark that "I am not Savarkar, I am Gandhi," the Uddhav Thackeray camp chose not to attend the meeting at Mallikarjun Kharge's house.
According to MP Sanjay Raut, the Uddhav Thackeray faction has decided not to attend a Congress meeting on Monday at party president Mallikarjun Kharge's house because of suspended MP Rahul Gandhi's "I am not Savarkar, I am Gandhi" remarks.
Arvind Sawant, a Shiv Sena (UBT) member, stated that no party members will attend any meetings called by the Congress, adding that the grand-old party must first comprehend Savarkar.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) has already denounced Gandhi's remarks. Thackeray, the leader of the organization, said on Sunday that he views Hindutva ideologue VD Savarkar as his "idol" and urged the Congressman to stop "insulting" him.
According to Thackeray, the purpose of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition, which consists of the Sena (UBT), Congress, and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), is to defend democracy. Thackeray argued that this alliance must be supported by all parties.
Savarkar is our idol, and his insult will not be accepted if we have to fight together to defend our democracy, Thackeray declared while addressing a gathering in the Muslim-dominated textile town of Malegaon in the Nashik region of north Maharashtra. Savarkar spent 14 years in a confinement in the Andaman Islands and endured unspeakable torture. The sorrows can only be read. It represents a sacrifice.
"I want to let Rahul Gandhi know that we have banded together to preserve the Constitution and democracy of our nation. But the act of provoking you is intentional. Democracy will vanish if we let this opportunity pass wastefully. The last election would be held in 2024, he added.
A leader of the Shiv Sena (UBT), Raut, also expressed his displeasure with Gandhi's remarks on Monday, calling them a "wrong statement." Savarkar is our inspiration, said Raut, adding that he will make an effort to speak with Rahul Gandhi about the matter.
"That statement is incorrect. He is undoubtedly a Gandhi, but Savarkar need not be mentioned. Savarkar serves as our model. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Veer Savarkar served as the motivation for our battle in Maharashtra, Raut told reporters.
When asked if he will meet Gandhi in person in New Delhi to discuss this matter, he responded, "I will definitely try to speak to him."
By focusing on Savarkar and their ideologue, Gandhi has been repeatedly criticising the BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. Gandhi stated that Savarkar would submit mercy petitions to be released from the Andaman cellular jail and take a pension from the British in November of last year while on the Bharat Jodo Yatra. Savarkar's alleged assistance to the British administration during the liberation movement was another assertion he made, which led to complaints from BJP and Shiv Sena members.
Gandhi was expelled from the Lok Sabha on Friday, one day after being found guilty of defamation in a case in Surat, Gujarat. Rahul Gandhi remarked on Saturday at a press conference in Delhi on his disqualification, "My name is not Savarkar, my name is Gandhi, and Gandhi does not offer an apology to anyone."