Raut questions BJP on Savarkar's Bharat Ratna, tells Bhagwat to ask PM

Raut questions BJP on Savarkar's Bharat Ratna

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Monday questioned the BJP for not conferring a Bharat Ratna to VD Savarkar, asking RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat to directly inquire from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.

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Echoing Mohan Bhagwat's demand for India's highest civilian award for VD Savarkar, Raut noted that RSS workers are running the government and should confer the Hindutva leader with the award. Addressing a press conference in the national capital, he said, "Why don't they give? It is their government in power. Sangh's Swayamsevaks (workers) hold government positions. Lakhs of RSS workers have given their lives to bring this government into power, so why don't they give Bharat Ratna to Veer Savarkar? Instead of asking this in a lecture, he should directly ask PM Modi and Amit Shah."

This comes after Mohan Bhagwat, speaking at the Two-Day Lecture Series On '100 Years Of Sangh Journey - New Horizons', said if Savarkar is given Bharat Ratna, then the prestige of the honour will increase. Bhagwat noted that he was not on the decision-making committee but would raise the issue if given the chance.

Slams Govt on US Trade Deal

Further, slamming the BJP-RSS for the framework of the Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) with the US, Sanjay Raut held the Sangh responsible for no "ache din" (good days) for the nation. Connecting the trade deal to Sangh, he said, "Sangh is responsible for no 'ache din' for the nation. Under the Sangh, the BJP got 'ache din', but under the BJP's rule, the nation's 'ache din' went away. India became a slave of the US, and the Sarsanghchalak (RSS chief) will have to take the responsibility. The Sarsanghchalak said that the deals should be on our terms, but we surrendered to the terms set by President Trump. The Prime Minister was once Sangh's Pracharak, and the nation has become a slave to the US, so the Sangh should take the responsibility."

India and the US issued a joint statement on the framework of the BTA, which said that the US will apply a reciprocal tariff rate of 18 per cent on Indian goods, including textiles and apparel, leather and footwear, plastic and rubber, organic chemicals, home decor, artisanal products, and certain machinery.

Meanwhile, the Opposition has criticised the framework as India will eliminate or reduce tariffs on all US industrial goods and a wide range of US food and agricultural products, including dried distillers' grains (DDGs), red sorghum for animal feed, tree nuts, fresh and processed fruit, soybean oil, wine and spirits, and additional products. (ANI)