Bharat Ratna row: Indira Gandhi was his follower, says Savarkar's grandson

New Delhi, Oct 18: Hindutva ideologue Vinayak Damodar Savarkar's grandson Ranjit Savarkar, on Thursday defended his grandfather, saying that he feels that former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was his follower and lashed out at the opposition for objection to the BJP's proposal in its Maharashtra manifesto promising to honour him Bharat Ratna.

Speaking to news agency ANI, Ranjeet Savarkar said, "Indira Gandhi honoured Veer Savarkar, I strongly feel she was his follower because she brought Pakistan to its knees, strengthened army and foreign relations, she also did nuclear tests. All this is against Nehru and Gandhi's philosophy."

On the opposition's objection, he said, "Owaisi should follow Savarkar's belief that keep religion in your house. When out you are not Hindu or Muslim but Indian. Savarkar expected all who enter Parliament to keep caste, religion, sex etc out. You won't find a more secular man than Savarkar."

Savarkar, who codified 'Hindutva' as a political philosophy, is remembered in Maharashtra as a freedom fighter. So by promising to honour him, the BJP hopes to make electoral gains as well as an ideological point.

The BJP so far has not followed in the footsteps of Atal Bihari Vajpayee and proposed the Bharat Ratna for the Nobel laureate Vinayak, who has been trolled by some 'Hindutva' proponents since Monday evening.