Will protest against Rahul Gandhi over Savarkar remarks: Ashish Shelar

Mumbai: The Bharatiya Janata Party's Mumbai unit chief Ashish Shelar on Thursday said his party would protest against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his remarks against Hindutva ideologue late V D Savarkar.

Gandhi has often said that Savarkar apologised to the British to get out of jail.

"Rahul Gandhi has consistently insulted V D Savarkar. Our party workers will stage a strong protest this evening near the venue where he will be speaking," Shelar told reporters.

The third meeting of the opposition bloc INDIA will begin here during the day to discuss its strategy to take on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the Lok Sabha elections due next year and inclusion of new allies.

Gandhi is among a large number of opposition leaders who will be in the city for the INDIA meet.

Shelar also took a swipe at Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray saying the latter says he is a staunch follower of Savarkar but keeps quiet when Gandhi makes such objectionable statements.

"Thackeray and his party workers have become hosts to people who used to hate Sena. These people (members of opposition bloc INDIA) hated (Shiv Sena founder) Balasaheb Thackeray several years. They all have now come together and Uddhav Thackeray is serving them," Shelar alleged.

The BJP MLA said Thackeray and Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar must feel "ashamed" for laying down a red carpet for these leaders "who used to hate Maharashtra".

"The members of the opposition bloc INDIA claim they have come together to save democracy but in reality they are trying to save their families," Shelar asserted.

As many as 63 representatives from 28 political parties will attend the meeting of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) on August 31 and September 1 at Grand Hyatt Hotel in Mumbai.