Row over Rahul's remarks on Savarkar is closed chapter: Jairam

New Delhi: A few days after the controversy erupted over Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's remarks on freedom fighter VD Savarkar, senior party leader Jairam Ramesh on Wednesday said that the chapter is closed.

During the Maharashtra leg of the Congress's Bharat Jodo Yatra, Gandhi had alleged that Savarkar had helped the British and wrote a mercy petition out of fear. He had also called Savarkar a symbol of the BJP and the RSS.

Gandhi's remarks were criticised by the BJP and other political organisations.

While addressing a press conference during the ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra in Madhya Pradesh's Burhanpur district, Congress general secretary in-charge of communications Jairam Ramesh on

Wednesday said, "Savarkar's chapter is closed.

However, I would like to reiterate that the day people from the BJP and RSS stop lying about our leaders, we will stop speaking the truth about their leaders."

The foot march entered Bodarli village in Burhanpur from neighbouring

Maharashtra on Wednesday morning.

Ramesh said, "Rahul Gandhi on an average walked 21 kilometres every day along with other participants during the Bharat Jodo Yatra which has so far passed through six states.

There were occasions in Maharashtra when Gandhi walked up to 24 km in a day during the yatra."

Ramesh also said that forest areas were being crossed by bus during a foot march, which started from Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu on September 7.