The Hindu Mahasabha on Sunday, 24 February, felicitated its members who had allegedly fired at a portrait of Mahatma Gandhi in Aligarh on 30 January this year, Hindustan Times reported on Monday.
Hindu Mahasabha National Secretary Puja Shakun Pandey and her husband and the organisation’s spokesperson Ashok Pandey were among the 30 people felicitated, the report said, adding that Pandey was presented with a copy of The Bhagavad Gita and a sword by Mahasabha’s National President Chandra Prakash Kaushik, at the function.
Puja Shakun, her husband and others are currently out on bail after being arrested for the incident earlier this month.
“We honoured office bearers and activists who were sent to jail by Aligarh police. We also honoured our advocates who stood with us in securing bail, which was granted on 14 February. Those who stood as surety for us were also honoured, beside the seers who graced the occasion today.”Ashok Pandey, as told to HT
The entire event was video-recorded by the Aligarh police.
We were not afraid of the police, Pandey reportedly said, adding, “We did what we planned although the police video-recorded the event today.”
“Hindu Mahasabha National Secretary Puja Shakun Pandey has not committed any crime by re-enacting the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi but it was publicised in the wrong manner. The case registered against office bearers and activists of Hindu Mahasabha by the Aligarh police was uncalled for,” the report quoted Kaushik as saying.
Justifying her act, Puja Shakun Pandey reportedly said that books on Mahatma’s assassin Nathuram Godse should be included in school curriculum so that students could learn the ‘real facts’.
(With inputs from Hindustan Times)
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