Buldhana (Maharashtra), Nov 17 (UNI) Former Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Thursday claimed that Veer Savarkar had written mercy petitions to the British and even accepted pension from them and he did so "out of fear".
"I have a document that comprises Savarkar's letter to (the) British in which he has stated -- 'I beg to remain, sir, your most obedient servant'. This is not written by me, but Savarkarji. Let everyone read this document," Rahul Gandhi said.
"I am very clear that he helped the British," he said, brandishing the letter he said Savarkar wrote to the British; sections of which were highlighted in blue.
"Savarkar signed this letter whereas Mahatma Gandhi, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel who were imprisoned for years -- they did not write any such letter.
"I believe Savarkarji signed this letter because he was scared," the Congress leader said.
The Wayanad MP further added that a false perception has been created that the Congress was not putting up a fight against the ruling BJP. He addressed a press conference in Maharashtra's Buldhana.
He also said that the "Bharat Jodo Yatra" is above any political interest, it is not done to garner votes.
When Rahul Gandhi was asked about the yatra allegedly avoiding Uttar Pradesh where the party has weakened in terms of its poll performance, he rubbished it as a rumour, saying that it would be their next destination after Delhi.
He also expressed his wish to spend more days in the BJP-ruled state, but the party's route plan did not allow it.
The padayatra" was earlier going to enter Uttar Pradesh after Rajasthan but the route was changed.
Actress Riya Sen joined the yatra in Maharashtra's Akola district on Thursday and walked with Rahul Gandhi.
The Bharat Jodo Yatra, a mass contact initiative of the Congress, began on September 7 from Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu. It entered Maharashtra on November 7 in Nanded district.
On Thursday, the yatra began at 6 am from Patur after a night halt at a pressing factory. It will proceed to Balapur in the evening and reach Shegaon in Buldhana district on Friday morning.
Besides Nanded, it has so far covered Hingoli and Washim districts of the state.
The foot march will cover Akola before proceeding to Madhya Pradesh (MP) on November 20.
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