New Delhi: Amid speculations that former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose may be named for Bharat Ratna, Shiv Sena today made a strong pitch for bestowing the country's highest civilian award on Swatantryaveer Savarkar too.

"Like Netaji, Savarkar had made an immense contribution to the freedom struggle. He was the leader of the armed rebellion against the British rule for which he was sentenced to two life imprisonment and was sent to Andaman," party leader Sanjay Raut said.