New Delhi [India], February 9 : Communist Party of India (Marxist) Lok Sabha MP Amra Ram on Monday said that if Veer Savarkar is conferred the Bharat Ratna, the award itself will lose its value as it would be given to the person who "tried to create in the country".
"Nothing could be more humiliating than this... If Bharat Ratna will be awarded to those who tried to create a divide in the country, the award will lose its value," the CPM MP told ANI.
However, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP, Madan Rathore, told ANI that some people are opposing the idea because of "not reading complete history", and highlighted that Savarkar has "suffered a great deal" and had continued to fight for the country without losing hope.
"Veer Savarkar was a great patriot... He was sentenced to Kala Pani (Cellular Jail) and received many other punishments as well. He suffered a great deal... yet he did not lose hope and continued to fight. Such a great man deserves the Bharat Ratna. Some people oppose this because they haven't read the complete history," Rathore told ANI.
The comments come a day after Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat said that if the country's highest civilian honour is given to Savarkar, the award's prestige itself will be increased.
While speaking at the Two-Day Lecture Series On '100 Years Of Sangh Journey - New Horizons' here on Sunday, Bhagwat said that he was not on the decision-making committee but would raise the issue if given the chance.
"I'm not on that committee, but if I meet someone who is, I'll ask them. If Swatantra Veer Savarkar is given Bharat Ratna, the prestige of Bharat Ratna will increase. Even without that prestige, he has become the emperor of millions of hearts," he said.
The grandson of Savarkar, Rajendra Savarkar, has called for the Central government to recognise the title of 'Swatantraveer' for his grandfather, saying that it would be akin to the title of 'Mahatma' given to Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi.