Union minister Nitin Gadkari has said Hindutva ideologue V D Savarkar was a social reformer and patriot, and it was unfortunate that chapters on him and RSS founder K B Hedgewar were being removed from school syllabus.

The senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader was speaking at the launch of the book "Veer Savarkar" here on Saturday.

It was unfortunate that a person (Savarkar) and his family who gave everything for the country had to face insults, Gadkari said.

Savarkar had said Hindutva is all inclusive and free from casteism and communalism, the minister pointed out.

"Savarkar was a social reformer, and he is a role model for us," he said.

Without naming anyone, Gadkari said it was very unfortunate that chapters on Dr Hedgewar and Savarkar were being removed from school syllabus, and "there is nothing as painful as this." The Congress government in Karnataka recently kicked up a row by removing chapters on Savarkar and Hedgewar from school textbooks.

Gadkari recalled that when a national leader with whom he enjoyed good relations criticised Savarkar, he told the leader that one should not criticise Savarkar without knowing about him.

The leader was convinced and said he would not comment on Savarkar henceforth, Gadkari said.

The Indian and Hindu culture propagated by Savarkar and Swami Vivekananda was the same, the BJP leader said, adding the young generation should be made aware of their ideology and also the sacrifices made by Savarkar for the country.

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