Residents of Nashik's Bhagur, the birthplace of Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, on Friday observed a shutdown in protest over Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's remarks against the Hindutva ideologue and freedom fighter.

Rahul Gandhi, whose Bharat Jodo Yatra is currently passing through Maharashtra, on Thursday held a press conference at Wadegaon in Akola district, where he claimed Savarkar helped the British rulers and wrote a mercy petition to them out of fear, thereby betraying Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Patel, Jawaharlal Nehru and other leaders of the freedom struggle Shops and other establishments, barring those indulging in essential services, were shut for the day on the call of the Bharatiya Janata Party, which was supported by Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena.

Residents of the area protested in front of Savarkar at Chhatrapati Shivaji Chowk and shouted slogans against Gandhi, a BJP functionary said.

"Rahul Gandhi keeps insulting Swatantrayaveer Savarkar and he must apologise. We will not allow entry to any member of the Gandhi family into Bhagur till he apologises," Prasad Adke, BJP mandal president for Deolali Camp-Bhagur, told PTI.

Officials said the shutdown was peaceful and there was no report of any untoward incident.

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