New Delhi: Hailing Vinayak Damodar Savarkar or Veer Savarkar as a “great freedom fighter, thinker, powerful orator and visionary,” BJP president Jagat Prakash Nadda, on the 54th death anniversary of the freedom fighter and a ‘Hindutva icon’ on Wednesday, said Veer Savarkar sacrificed everything for the nation and inspired people.

On the death anniversary of Savarkar, the BJP said Veer Savarkar was “instrumental in igniting minds of many against the atrocities of the British” and was “subjected to toughest punishment by British for his devotion towards the motherland.”

Mr Nadda was addressing a two-day long ‘Sava-rkar Sahitya Sammelan’ in the national capital through a video message.

Union home minister Amit Shah, through a tweet, said Savarkar was an idea and sacrificed his life for the nation. Mr Shah said the Britishers were so scared of him that they not only sent him to Kala Pani (cellular jail in Andaman and Nicobar islands) but sentenced him to two life imprisonment.

Speaking at the conclave, Union minister for tourism and culture, Prahlad Patel said: “Veer Savarkar was not only a revolutionary, but also a social worker who opposed untouchability.” Mr Patel said Savarkar did not get due recognition.

Former Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, during whose tenure as the chief minister last year the BJP had made a poll promise in its manifesto of proposing Savarkar and social reformers Jyotiba Phule and Savitribai Phule’s names for the Bharat Ratna, hailed Savarkar for his “contribution for eliminating caste system, upliftment of last person, in preserving Marathi language, his service to Bharat Mata.”

“We cannot neglect #VeerSavarkar's contribution for eliminating the caste system, upliftment of the last person, in preserving the Marathi language, his service to Bharat Mata. BJP today honoured this great son, who sacrificed everything for independence,” Mr Fadnavis said.