New Delhi: Shiv Sena on Monday demanded that Veer Savarkar be given Bharat Ratna, contending that the icon of freedom struggle had been "deliberately neglected" by previous governments due to his staunch Hindutva views.

In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, party leader Sanjay Raut said it was high time the NDA Government honoured Savarkar with the highest civilian award so as to "rectify the mistakes" of earlier governments.