"India is Jawaharlal Nehru's land": Sanjay Raut

While talking to ANI, Raut said the whole country respects the freedom leaders.

"Veer Savarkar, Subhash Chandra Bose, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Vallabhbhai Patel and Mahatma Gandhi, all those who sacrificed their happiness in the freedom struggle for this country, the whole country has respect and faith for them," Raut said.

He further said that former Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru had done a lot for the country and it is his land.

"Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru made a lot of contributions towards the development of the country. Otherwise, it wouldn't have taken much time for the country to become like Pakistan. The country is Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru's land," Raut added.

On Friday, Raut had warned Congress of a rift in the MVA, which comprises the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), apart from the Uddhav-Sena. "We consider Veer Savarkar as a reverential figure," Raut said.

Earlier, addressing a press conference in Maharashtra on the sidelines of his ongoing 'Bhaat Jodo Yatra', on Thursday, Rahul Gandhi reading from a letter purportedly written by Savarkar to the British, claimed the saffron ideologue betrayed leaders such as Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Vallabhhai Patel by signing on a letter of apology to the British before independence.

"Veer Savarkar wrote to the British saying, 'Sir, I beg to remain your most obedient servant', and signed on it. Savarkar helped the British. He betrayed leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Patel by signing this letter out of fear."

Hitting back at Rahul Gandhi on Friday, Raut said, "The country is heading towards dictatorship and there's inflation, unemployment and atrocities on women. The 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' is meant to highlight all these issues. The maximum support for the Yatra has been received from Maharashtra. So, there was no need to raise the topic of Veer Savarkar. Even Congress leaders in Maharashtra don't appreciate it (Rahul's remarks on Savarkar)."

The remark had drawn outrage from the BJP, with the party's national spokesperson Sambit Patra claiming that the statement was consistent with the Congress' habitual insult of national icons such as Subhas Chandra Bose and Sardar Patel.

Labelling Rahul Gandhi's statement as 'deplorable', the BJP leader demanded that he tender an unconditional apology.

Rahul Gandhi's remarks on Thursday drew a huge backlash, with a complaint being registered against Rahul at Thane Nagar police station.

The complaint stated that the sentiments of the local citizens had been hurt by Gandhi's remarks. A case of Non-Cognizable Offense was registered against the Congress MP under IPC sections 500 and 501. (ANI)