Nathuram Godse 'Patriot' Remark: BJP Rebukes Pragya Thakur For Praising Mahatma Gandhi's Assailant, Asks her to Apologise Publicly
Hours after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate from Bhopal constituency Pragya Singh Thakur stirred controversy by calling Mahatma Gandhi’s assailant a ‘Deshbhakt’, the saffron party distanced itself from the comment.
Bhopal, May 16: Hours after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate from Bhopal constituency Pragya Singh Thakur stirred controversy by calling Mahatma Gandhi’s assailant a ‘Deshbhakt’, the saffron party distanced itself from the comment. BJP spokesperson GVL Narasimha Rao said, “BJP does not agree with this statement, we condemn it.” He further added that the party would ask Thakur for the clarification. The party also asked its candidate to apologise publicly for her comments praising Godse.
Meanwhile, the Congress hit out at the BJP for Thakur’s remarks. Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh demanded apology Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah. He said, “Modi ji, Amit Shah ji & the state BJP should give their statements & apologize to the nation. I condemn this statement, Nathuram Godse was a killer, glorifying him is not patriotism, it is sedition.” Singh contested against Thakur from Bhopal. Bhopal Lok Sabha Constituency in Madhya Pradesh: Candidates, Current MP, Polling Date And Election Results 2019
BJP asks Thakur to apologise:
Randeep Surjewala also lashed out at the BJP. He said, “India's soul is under attack by successors of Godse, the BJP ruling dispensation. BJP leaders are describing the murderer of the father of the nation as a true nationalist and declaring those who sacrificed their lives for the nation like Hemant Karkare as anti-nationals.”
Earlier in the day, triggered a fresh political row by calling Godse a patriot. Speaking to a reporter, Pragya Singh Thakur said Nathuram Godse, who assassinated Mahatma Gandhi in 1947, was a patriot and will remain a patriot always.
Bhopal went for polls in the sixth phase on May 12. The last phase of parliamentary elections will take place on May 19 and the results will be declared on May 23.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 16, 2019 05:01 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).