'Rahul Ji, you now read these': Fadnavis drags Indira Gandhi to Savarkar row

Maharashtra deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis posted a long thread on Twitter attacking Rahul Gandhi over the ongoing Savarkar row triggered by Rahul Gandhi's comments on the Hindutva ideologue. Dragging Indira Gandhi to the debate, Fadnavis posted a 1980 letter written by the former PM and said, "Just read what former prime minister of Inia Mrs Indira Gandhi (your grandmother) said about Savarkarji. Here she called Veer Savarjar ji the pillar of the freedom movement and the remarkable son of India." Read | 'Savarkarji helped British...', says Rahul Gandhi, shows letter as proof

Fadnavis shared a letter written by Mahatma Gandhi and asked him to read the last lines of the letter as it has the same closing as the Savarkar's letter that Rahul Gandhi waved at a press meet on Thursday and said Savarkar helped the British. Read | 'Not from WhatsApp Univ...': Tushar Gandhi defends Rahul in Savarkar comment row

"I have a document that comprises Savarkar’s letter to the British in which he has stated, ‘I beg to remain sir your most obedient servant’. This is not written by me but by Savarkar ji. Let everyone read this document,” Rahul Gandhi said. “I am clearly of the view that he helped the British," Rahul Gandhi added. Read: Complaint filed against Rahul Gandhi for remarks on Savarkar in Maharashtra

"Rahul ji, yesterday you asked me to read the last lines of a letter. Now let me read some documents to you today. Have you read this letter from our respected Mahatma Gandhi? Does it have the same last lines you wanted me to read?" Fadnavis tweeted.

In his attack on Rahul Gandhi, Fadnavis shared statements of NCP leader Sharad Pawar, former PM PV Narasimha Rao and other Congress leaders of Maharashtra -- on Savarkar. Read | 'We don't approve…': Uddhav Thackeray on Rahul Gandhi's remarks about Savarkar

What is the Rahul Gandhi-Savarkar row?

Read In the Maharashtra leg of the Bharat Jodo Yatra, Rahul Gandhi spoke on Savarkar and how sought mercy from the British. The first time he mentioned Savarkar in reference to Birsa Munda and said the difference between Savarkar and Birsa Munda is that Birsa Munda died fighting against the British when he was 24 and Savarkar took a pension from the British.

2. On Thursday, he reiterated the issue and showed the letter written by Savarkar to the British in which he used the word 'servant'.

3. Rahul Gandhi's comment did not go down well with the Shiv Sena -- both the Uddhab Balasaheb Thackeray faction and the Eknath Shinde faction.

4. While a Sena worker from the Shinde faction filed a complaint against Rahul Gandhi, Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday said he did not approve of Rahul Gandhi's comment on Savarkar.

5. Shiv Sena (Uddhav faction) leader Sanjay Raut on Friday condemned Rahul Gandhi's comments and said even Maharashtra Congress leaders will not subscribe to Rahul Gandhi's opinion on Savarkar.

6. As the Congress and the Uddhav Sena are part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance, the Savarkar row triggers speculation over the future of the alliance in Maharashtra. Congress's Jairam Ramesh, however, said all is well in the alliance and he had a long discussion with Sanjay Raut. "I told him that Rahul Gandhi had spoken his mind and the same was the case with your leadership. It has nothing to do with the MVA coalition. It is a matter of different perspectives, outlook and approach, which is also a fact. MVA was formed only three years ago and both Shiv Sena and Congress were political opponents till then. We came together over a common minimum program and formed the government. I asked him if this will weaken and destabilize MVA, he replied negatively," Jairam Ramesh said.