Thackeray demands Bharat Ratna for Savarkar, says Pak wouldn't have existed if he became first PM

Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday demanded Bharat Ratna for Vinayak Damodar Savarkar while stating that Pakistan wouldn't even had come into existence if he had been made the first Prime Minister of the country.

"If Veer Savarkar would have been the Prime Minister of this country then Pakistan would not have even born. Our government is Hindutva government today and I demand Bharat Ratna for Veer Savarkar," said Thackeray during the launch of a book on Savarkar in Mumbai.

Addressing a gathering at the event, Shiv Sena chief also acknowledged the contribution of India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Mahatama Gandhi while asserting that others also made significant contributions.

"It is fine to say that Mahatama Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru contributed to the country but this does not mean that only two families were born and no one else has contributed towards the growth of the nation," he said.

Launching a scathing attack against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Thackrey said: "During the Loksabha elections when Rahul Gandhi gave statement against Savarkar, I was the first person to say that Rahul Gandhi is useless. A copy of this book should be given to Rahul and he should be asked to read it."

"Rahul Gandhi had said that Nehru was in Jail for some period for the country. I want to tell him that Savarkar was in jail for 14 years and suffered severe pain. If Nehru would have suffered the same pain for even 14 minutes then I would have called him a Veer," he added.

Thackrey also stated that the jail where Savarkar was kept is being turned into a 'picnic spot' and it is very unfortunate.

"The jail has become a picnic spot for people. But people do not know what pain Savarkar had gone through during his days in prison", he said.

( With inputs from ANI )