NEW DELHI: Pragya Singh Thakur, MP of BJP, referred to Mahatama Gandhi's assassin Nathu Ram Godse as a 'deshbhakt' (patriot) during the winter session of Parliament on Wednesday. This, however, led to her removal from the defence panel and also has been axed out from BJP party parliamentary meetings for the rest of the winter session.
"Her statement yesterday in Parliament is condemnable. The BJP never supports such statement or ideology", BJP President Jagat Prakash Nadda said.
During the ongoing discussion in the house on Special Protection Group (Amendment) Bill, A Raja, leader of DMK, referred to a statement said by Godse. Terror accused Thakur interrupted and asked him not to give examples of patriots. She said, "Deshbhakton ka udharan mat dijiye."
The statement created huge chaos where people from the opposition party strongly condemned Thakur while BJP members persuaded her to sit down. Congress strongly objected to her remarks and tweeted, "Repeatedly referring to Nathuram Godse as a "deshbhakt" is a perfect representation of BJP's deplorable hate politics."
Repeatedly referring to Nathuram Godse as a "deshbhakt" is a perfect representation of BJP's deplorable hate politics.
— Congress (@INCIndia) November 27, 2019
Will PM Modi condemn Pragya Thakur's remarks or continue to stay silent? https://t.co/VRj21CHGSg
Rahul Gandhi too took to Twitter and called Pragya "terrorist". He wrote, "Terrorist Pragya called terrorist Godse, a patriot. A sad day, in the history of India's Parliament."
Terrorist Pragya calls terrorist Godse, a patriot.
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) November 28, 2019
A sad day, in the history of
India’s Parliament.
Congress Party's spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala directly targetted the Prime Minister. He wrote, "India celebrates 150th yr of Gandhi Jayanti, BUT Terror accused BJP MP, Pragya Thakur celebrates Godse as ‘martyr’ on the floor of Parliament. Modiji, Inaction against Pragya proves your latent support to Godse’s sinister thought! India won’t pardon you!"
India celebrates 150th yr of Gandhi Jayanti,
— Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) November 27, 2019
BUT
Terror accused BJP MP, Pragya Thakur celebrates Godse as ‘martyr’ on the floor of Parliament.
Modiji,
Inaction against Pragya proves your latent support to Godse’s sinister thought!
India won’t pardon you!https://t.co/Lplstgj6Ip
Twitter is flooded with criticism for the 2008 Malegaon blast accused. See some of the reactions here:
#PragyaSinghThakur Could you please give just tell what was that one heinous crime or treason committed by #MahatmaGandhi that his assassin #Godse to you is a 'Desh Bhakt'..Koi ek reason ya bas frequent epilepsy attacks hote rehte hain aapko ??
— Ashish K Singh (ABP News) (@AshishSinghLIVE) November 27, 2019
After establishing #Godse as deshbhakt and Savarkar as #BharatRatna, BJP may try to establish Masood Azhar as a great social worker of Pak.
— Ekalavya 🦖 (@manuVirodhi) November 27, 2019
Then, BJP: due to some mistakes, he attacked India. This will clear BJP of its weakness.#PragyaSinghThakur #पहलाआतंकवादीगोडसे !!
``I don't have to waste my time demanding action about that woman, @RahulGandhi, Congress MP from Wayanad on BJP MP from Bhopal @SadhviPragya_MP & her comment on the killer of #MahatmaGandhi, Nathuram #Godse. Breaking on @IndiaToday. @patelanandk joins me with the latest. Tune in
— GAURAV C SAWANT (@gauravcsawant) November 28, 2019
This is not the first time that Thakur used the word "patriot' for Godse. Earlier in November too, she called him the same trying to target Congress. She said, "The Congress only cashed in on Gandhi’s name for political benefits, but never followed his ideals. Congress will never have empathy for anybody, whether it’s Gandhi or Godse. They cannot reach up to the ideal of Gandhi, or the ideology and ‘patriotism of even Godse’. They play with public feelings for political gains."
Reacting to these comments made on Mahatama Gandhi and Godse, Modi had said, "The remarks made about Gandhiji or Nathuram Godse are very bad and very wrong for society. She has sought an apology but I will never be able to forgive her fully."