Karnataka health minister Dinesh Gundu Rao made a controversial remark about Hindutva ideologue Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, saying that he consumed meat and possibly beef, triggering off the next major political controversy ahead of the assembly election in Maharashtra.&nbsp;

Karnataka minister further said that Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan, was not a fundamentalist but Savarkar was.&nbsp;

Following the remarks, both the Shiv Sena and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) condemned the remarks, calling them an insult to the freedom fighter.&nbsp;

Moreover, the BJP also started protesting and Savarkar's grandson even threatened to file a defamation suit against the Karnataka leader. &nbsp;

"Savarkar, a 'Chitpavan Brahmin', used to eat meat. He was a non-veg eater and he was not against cow slaughter... Some say that he used to eat beef as well. As a Brahmin, he used to eat meat and was openly propagating eating meat," Rao said.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-rajya-sabha-mp-sanjay-raut-sentenced-to-15-days-in-jail-in-defamation-case-762130">Also read:&nbsp;India: Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut sentenced to 15 days in jail in defamation case</a>

BJP national spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi criticised Congress and demanded that the party name any of its top leaders who were handed down double life imprisonment and lodged at the cellular jail in Andaman-Nicobar Islands by the British.

"Insulting Veer Savarkar, who was an inspiration to revolutionaries in the country, is akin to spitting on the moon," BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh said.&nbsp;

"Kanhaiya Kumar, who raises 'Bharat tere tukde honge' slogan, is embraced. Red carpet is rolled out for those who consider Afzal Guru (Parliament attack convict) a hero...What kind of 'mohabbat ki dukan' Rahul Gandhi has opened where the martyrs and freedom fighters are insulted?" he added.&nbsp;

Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Nirupam also condemned the statement and warned the Congress party against repeatedly maligning Savarkar, revered by many in Maharashtra for his role in India’s freedom struggle.

"Once again, the Congress party has made a very low-level comment against Swatantra Veer Savarkar. The statement made by the Karnataka Health Minister is completely condemnable; it is an insult to him," Nirupam said in a video.&nbsp;

"I want to tell the Congress and threaten them that the people of Maharashtra love Savarkar ji very much and if they keep insulting him like this again and again, then the people of Maharashtra will bury the Congress party in the ground, so the Congress party should stop insulting Savarkar," he said.

Meanwhile, &nbsp;the grandson of Veer Savarkar Ranjit Savarkar accused Congress of defaming his grandfather ahead of upcoming elections.&nbsp;

He said that the Congress was attempting to divide Hindu society along caste lines, a strategy reminiscent of British colonial-era policies.

"This is a strategy of Congress to defame Savarkar time and again, particularly when elections are coming. Earlier, Rahul Gandhi was doing it, and now his leaders are making statements... Congress has shown its real face," Ranjit Savarkar said.

(With inputs from agencies)

Karnataka health minister Dinesh Gundu Rao made a controversial remark about Hindutva ideologue Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, saying that he consumed meat and possibly beef, triggering off the next major political controversy ahead of the assembly election in Maharashtra.

Karnataka health minister Dinesh Gundu Rao made a controversial remark about Hindutva ideologue Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, saying that he consumed meat and possibly beef, triggering off the next major political controversy ahead of the assembly election in Maharashtra. Karnataka minister further said that Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan, was not a fundamentalist but Savarkar was. Following the remarks, both the Shiv Sena and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) condemned the remarks, calling them an insult to the freedom fighter. Moreover, the BJP also started protesting and Savarkar's grandson even threatened to file a defamation suit against the Karnataka leader. "Savarkar, a 'Chitpavan Brahmin', used to eat meat. He was a non-veg eater and he was not against cow slaughter... Some say that he used to eat beef as well. As a Brahmin, he used to eat meat and was openly propagating eating meat," Rao said. Also read: India: Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut sentenced to 15 days in jail in defamation case BJP national spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi criticised Congress and demanded that the party name any of its top leaders who were handed down double life imprisonment and lodged at the cellular jail in Andaman-Nicobar Islands by the British. "Insulting Veer Savarkar, who was an inspiration to revolutionaries in the country, is akin to spitting on the moon," BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh said. "Kanhaiya Kumar, who raises 'Bharat tere tukde honge' slogan, is embraced. Red carpet is rolled out for those who consider Afzal Guru (Parliament attack convict) a hero...What kind of 'mohabbat ki dukan' Rahul Gandhi has opened where the martyrs and freedom fighters are insulted?" he added. Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Nirupam also condemned the statement and warned the Congress party against repeatedly maligning Savarkar, revered by many in Maharashtra for his role in India’s freedom struggle. "Once again, the Congress party has made a very low-level comment against Swatantra Veer Savarkar. The statement made by the Karnataka Health Minister is completely condemnable; it is an insult to him," Nirupam said in a video. "I want to tell the Congress and threaten them that the people of Maharashtra love Savarkar ji very much and if they keep insulting him like this again and again, then the people of Maharashtra will bury the Congress party in the ground, so the Congress party should stop insulting Savarkar," he said. Meanwhile, the grandson of Veer Savarkar Ranjit Savarkar accused Congress of defaming his grandfather ahead of upcoming elections. He said that the Congress was attempting to divide Hindu society along caste lines, a strategy reminiscent of British colonial-era policies. "This is a strategy of Congress to defame Savarkar time and again, particularly when elections are coming. Earlier, Rahul Gandhi was doing it, and now his leaders are making statements... Congress has shown its real face," Ranjit Savarkar said. (With inputs from agencies)

Karnataka minister says 'Savarkar used to eat meat', sparks outrage

The Madras High Court has dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking to permit the authorities to remove shops run by Muslims and other religions near Palane Temple Hills Girivala pathai, <a href="http://www.jantakareporter.com/india/eating-beef-not-offence-no-law-touches-eating-habits-religion-madras-high-court/41218/" target="_blank">Janta Ka Reporter </a>reports.

The petitioner claimed that disharmony was caused because people in the shops&nbsp;were eating beef and insulting the devotees&#39; religious faith.

Further, the petitioner claimed that merely crossing the shops in the vicinity of the temple made devotees uncomfortable, as the shops belonged to Muslims and people of other religions, where they&nbsp;&quot;indiscriminately&quot; ate beef and other meats.

The Bench of Justices S Manikumar and CT Selvam dismissed these contentions strongly: &quot;Contention of the petitioner that the temple property adjacent to Girivalathapathai, are occupied by people belonging to Islam and other religion is unsubstantiated, by&nbsp;even a scrap of paper. The petitioner has not substantiated that people belonging to another religion cannot have any shops in the property.

&quot;The other contention that the occupants of the shops indiscriminately eat beef and other non vegetarian food, by sitting in the stairs of the Palani Hills and insulting the religious faith of Hindus and if the same is not eventually checked, it would lead to disharmony, is not supported by any evidence. The further contention that by eating non-vegetarian food they have created discomfort to Hindu devotees also not substantiated.&quot;

Addressing the subect of the Indian Penal Code on&nbsp;eating beef in general, the Madras High Court stated unequivocally: &quot;Nowhere in the Indian penal code is it stated that eating non-vegetarian food is an offence. There is no law touching eating haits of any religion and in such a view of the matter, the contention of the petitioner that eating beef is an offence cannot be accepted.&quot;

(WION)

'...The contention of the petitioner that eating beef is an offence cannot be accepted'

The Madras High Court has dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking to permit the authorities to remove shops run by Muslims and other religions near Palane Temple Hills Girivala pathai, Janta Ka Reporter reports. The petitioner claimed that disharmony was caused because people in the shops were eating beef and insulting the devotees' religious faith. Further, the petitioner claimed that merely crossing the shops in the vicinity of the temple made devotees uncomfortable, as the shops belonged to Muslims and people of other religions, where they "indiscriminately" ate beef and other meats. The Bench of Justices S Manikumar and CT Selvam dismissed these contentions strongly: "Contention of the petitioner that the temple property adjacent to Girivalathapathai, are occupied by people belonging to Islam and other religion is unsubstantiated, by even a scrap of paper. The petitioner has not substantiated that people belonging to another religion cannot have any shops in the property. "The other contention that the occupants of the shops indiscriminately eat beef and other non vegetarian food, by sitting in the stairs of the Palani Hills and insulting the religious faith of Hindus and if the same is not eventually checked, it would lead to disharmony, is not supported by any evidence. The further contention that by eating non-vegetarian food they have created discomfort to Hindu devotees also not substantiated." Addressing the subect of the Indian Penal Code on eating beef in general, the Madras High Court stated unequivocally: "Nowhere in the Indian penal code is it stated that eating non-vegetarian food is an offence. There is no law touching eating haits of any religion and in such a view of the matter, the contention of the petitioner that eating beef is an offence cannot be accepted." (WION)

Eating beef no offence, no law touches any religion's eating habits: Madras High Court

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Karnataka minister says 'Savarkar used to eat meat', sparks outrage

Eating beef no offence, no law touches any religion's eating habits: Madras High Court