The BJP on Thursday, 16 May, condemned its Bhopal Lok Sabha candidate Pragya Singh Thakur's praise for Mahatma Gandhi's assassin Nathuram Godse as a “patriot” and asked her to tender a public apology, reported PTI.
Thakur, an accused in the Malegaon blast case, claimed that Godse “is and will remain a patriot,” in response to actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan's remarks that free India's first extremist was a Hindu, a reference to Godse.
Leaders from across the political spectrum condemned Thakur’s statement glorifying Godse.
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra slammed Thakur and said, “Distancing yourself from your candidate is not enough. Nationalistic luminaries of the BJP, have the guts to spell out your stand.”
Congress leader Randeep Surjewala said, she insulted Mahatma Gandhi once again. "The country will never forgive Sadhvi Pragya for her statement on Nathuram Godse," he said at a press conference.
‘BJP Standing by Independent India’s First Terrorist’
Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah also hit out at Pragya’s remark. “If the killer of the father of the nation is a patriot does that make Mahatma Gandhi anti-national?” he quipped.
Congress LS candidate from Bhopal Digvijaya Singh said glorifying Godse is not patriotism, it is sedition.
AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for defending and endorsing Thakur’s candidature. “This is not a ‘lunatic fringe’ & is definitely not her “personal opinion”, it is the BJP standing by Independent India’s first terrorist,” Owaisi said.
‘Expect Schools to Have Textbooks Glorifying Godse’
Actor Siddharth termed Thakur’s controversial remarks a “comedy circus.” While the courts are waiting to convict the terror accused, she is certifying Godse who murdered the father of the nation as a patriot, he said.
Journalist Rajdeep Sardesai said, “We jump around with outrage when a Pitroda/Aiyar speak loosely, but isn’t this remark of someone who hopes to be in LS an absolute shocker?”
Another journalist said one can expect schools to have history textbooks glorifying Nathuram Godse while Mahatma Gandhi will be declared a traitor in the next five years of Modi rule.
‘Mockery of Our Democracy’
(With inputs from PTI.)
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