Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Raut ’proud’ of PM Modi’s visit to French city tied to Veer Savarkar’s escape - Know significance

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on February 12 commended Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Marseille, where he paid tribute to freedom fighter V D Savarkar, who made a bold escape attempt in the French city. Raut while speaking to reported described it as ‘a matter of pride’.

While speaking to reporters, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP said, "... There's nothing wrong with the PM visiting the place from where Veer Savarkar escaped. It is a matter of pride for us."

Further adding, he said, “... It is not right to raise questions against Veer Savarkar... Veer Savarkar escaped from a boat and swam to the shore, and then a case was filed against him. Veer Savarkar was fearless. We may have his contradictions with his ideology but he was a big freedom fighter and a revolutionary.”

Earlier in the day, when PM Modi arrived in Marseille in southern France, he paid homage to the memory of freedom fighter V D Savarkar, who attempted a "courageous escape" at the port city.

Taking to X, PM wrote, "Landed in Marseille. In India's quest for freedom, this city holds special significance. It was here that the great Veer Savarkar attempted a courageous escape,” Modi said in a post on X after arriving there Tuesday night (local time).

What is the significance of Marseille and Veer Savarkar?

The city of Marseille holds a special place in India's freedom struggle. It was here that Veer Savarkar, one of India's freedom fighters, made a brave attempt to escape British custody.

According to PTI report, he is known to have slipped out of the ship's porthole and managed to swim ashore before being captured by the French authorities and then handed back into the custody of the British ship authorities. The news agency stated that it triggered a major diplomatic row as Savarkar went on to be sentenced to life imprisonment at Cellular Jail in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

PM Modi's schedule for today

The Prime Minister is set to inaugurate a new Consulate General of India with French President Emmanuel Macron. In addition to this, the two leaders have a series of engagements planned including an expected visit to the Mazargues War Cemetery to honour the sacrifice of Indian soldiers who died fighting in the World Wars.

Moreover, a tour of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) project which is an international nuclear fusion collaboration, is also on agenda. From France, the Prime Minister will then travel to the US on the second leg of his two-nation tour.

(With inputs from PTI, ANI)