"Will Eknath Shinde cut his beard?" asks Sanjay Raut about Savarkar Gaurav Yatra by BJP-Shiv Sena

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], April 2 (ANI): Maharashtra MP Sanjay Raut on Sunday launched an attack against the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena stating that there was no match between the ideologies of RSS and Veer Savarkar.
Talking to reporters, the Uddhav Thackeray faction leader said, "Today the first rally of Maha Vikas Aghadi is being held in Chatrapati Sambhaji Nagar. 14 more rallies will also be held in the state. Leaders like Uddhav Thackeray, Nana Patole, and Ajit Pawar will attend them. The entire preparation for the rally is being done rigorously".
On being asked about the Savarkar Gaurav Yatra being taken out by BJP and Shiv Sena in Thane, Raut accused them of doing the yatra only for "political benefits".
"Veer Savarkar has always been ideal for us. But they (BJP-Shiv Sena) are doing this only for political benefit. Those who are taking out the Gaurav yatra, what do they know about Savarkar? About Savarkar ji's scientific view of Hindutva? About is thought on cows?" he said.
Raut said, "There was no match between the ideology of Savarkar Ji and RSS. RSS did not accept Savarkar ji's Hindutvad. Savarkar was against growing a beard, and he used to say that beard only suits Chhatrapati Shivaji and no one else. Will Eknath Shinde cut his beard?"
Earlier in the day, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde led the ruling BJP-Shiv Sena's 'Savarkar Gaurav Yatra' in Thane.
The yatra comes amid the efforts by the ruling coalition to play up Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's comments on Veer Savarkar following his disqualification from the Lok Sabha.
Rahul, who was disqualified as an MP after being convicted in the criminal defamation case over a remark on the Modi surname, on March 25, had said, "My name is not Savarkar, my name is Gandhi. Gandhis don't apologise to anyone."
The BJP and ruling Maharashtra ally Sena had slammed Rahul's remarks while the chief of the rival Sena camp and former CM, Uddhav Thackeray, too, voiced concerns over it.
Earlier, on March 28, CM Shinde said insulting Savarkar was akin to insulting the people of the country. (ANI)