'God save this country': Congress on BJP's demand of Bharat Ratna for Savarkar
New Delhi: Hitting out at the BJP after its Maharashtra unit mooted Bharat Ratna award for Hindutva idealogue V D Savarkar, the Congress on Tuesday said that if the government considers it on the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, then "God save this country".
The opposition party's derisive response came after the election manifesto of Maharashtra BJP, released on Tuesday, said the party will ask the NDA government at the Centre to confer India's highest civilian award on Savarkar.
"In a country where Mahatma Gandhi is being made to commit suicide in examinations, anything is possible," Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari said at a press conference, referring to the row over a question in the internal assessment examination of some schools in Gujarat.
Savarkar had faced criminal trial in the murder of Mahatma Gandhi, Tewari said, adding that he was later acquitted.
The Congress spokesperson cited an article which claimed that the Kapur Commission concluded that facts pointed towards a "conspiracy to murder by Savarakar and his group" in Mahatma Gandhi's case.
"If on the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, this government considers any such thing (giving Bharat Ratna to Savarkar), than all I want to say is that God save this country," Tewari said.
Asked if there was a contradiction between the recent praise for Gandhi by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and the demand for Bharat Ratna for Savarkar, Tewari alleged that it was a coordinated and well thought out strategy "that on one hand keep praising Mahatma Gandhi and on the other hand make such a demand".
"But if what has been written in the article about the conclusions of the Kapur Commission is correct, then the government should seriously think that on Mahatma Gandhi's 150th birth anniversary, is this step appropriate," he said.
In its election manifesto, released by BJP working president J P Nadda, the party's state unit also sought the honour for social reformers Jyotiba Phule and Savitribai Phule, a party leader said.
The manifesto speaks of "pursuing the matter with the central government," the leader said.
Many BJP leaders look up to Savarkar for inspiration although he was a member of the Hindu Mahasabha and not the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the ideological parent of the BJP.
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Urgent cases to be mentioned only before CJI-led bench: SC
New Delhi (PTI): In a significant procedural directive, the Supreme Court has said that "exceptionally urgent matters" that cannot wait for the listing process have to be mentioned only before the Chief Justice of India, even if he is busy presiding over a constitution bench.
According to the usual practice, urgent matters are mentioned for listing and hearing before the seniormost judge of the apex court if the CJI is either unavailable or busy heading a constitution bench.
In a circular issued on April 6, the top court said, "Mentioning of exceptionally urgent matters, which cannot await listing before the Hon'ble Court as per circular dated November 29, 2025, is permitted before Court No 1, even when the Hon'ble Chief Justice is presiding over a constitution bench."
The circular said that the mentioning of such matters is not permitted before any other bench.
