Central Information Commissioner (CIC) Uday Mahurkar on Sunday said the era of V D Savarkar, known as the architect of Hindutva ideology, has already set in in India and that his personality is above Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian honour.
“I feel Savarkar (stature) is above Bharat Ratna. If he gets the award it is fine. But even if he does not get this award that won't affect his stature as the Savarkar era has already begun in India,” Mahurkar, who is taking part in the Indore Literature Festival here, told PTI.
The BJP in its manifesto for the Maharashtra Assembly polls in 2019 had stated that it will recommend Veer Savarkar's name to the Centre for the highest civilian award if the saffron party retained power.
Many right-wing organisations have also sought the Bharat Ratna for Savarkar.
“Earlier we did not even imagine that Article 370 of the Constitution would be abrogated in Jammu and Kashmir. But it has been repealed. This step marked the dawn of the Savarkar era in India,” said Mahurkar, the author of 'Veer Savarkar: The Man Who Could Have Prevented Partition'.
Speaking about the controversy over Savarkar purportedly seeking mercy from the British, Mahurkar said, “The more the hunger for Muslim appeasement grows in Indian politics, the need for defaming Savarkar would rise in that proportion given he was the biggest symbol of unity and diversity in India".
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