PM Narendra Modi in an interview to New24 India, strongly condemned Sadhvi Pragya Thakur for her “Godse a patriot” remark, which has stirred a massive furore in the political circle.
In extremely heavy words Modi said that however apologetic the person might be, he would never forgive anyone who dares to insult Bapu (Mahatma Gandhi).
न्यूज़ 24 से बोले पीएम मोदी, कहा- मैं मन से साध्वी प्रज्ञा को माफ नहीं कर पाऊंगा#LokSabhaElections2019 #news24 #modionnews24 https://t.co/hNL6wnrjT2 pic.twitter.com/fnpP9qspeG
— News24 India (@news24tvchannel) May 17, 2019
Sadhvi Pragya kicked off a political storm on Thursday, calling Mahatma Gandhi’s assassin Nathuram Godse a ‘Deshbhakt’ (Nationalist).
Later in the day, Pragya’s spokesperson and BJP leader Hitesh Bajpai claimed that Thakur had apologised and retracted her statement. BJP spokesperson GVL Narasimha Rao also condemned Thakur’s statement and said the party did not agree with her remark. Rao asked the BJP candidate from Bhopal to apologise publicly for the comment.
BJP completely disagrees with the reported comments by its Bhopal candidate Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur with regard to Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi. While strongly condemning this objectionable statement, the party will ask her to tender a public apology. pic.twitter.com/CmUvosPh1W
— BJP (@BJP4India) May 16, 2019
The BJP president Amit Shah has also come out in defence of his party claiming that the tendentious remarks made by its leaders were their personal opinions and they do not reflect the party’s stand on the matter.
The BJP president Amit Shah has also said that the concerned leader has taken her statement back and apologized for the same. Shah further added that the party has taken her remarks seriously and has sent it to the disciplinary committee to seek an explanation for the controversial remarks. The committee will submit the report to the party within 10 days.
However, Pragya Thakur later said that she agrees with the party line. “If I have hurt anyone I do apologise,” said Pragya Thakur agreeing that her statement was ‘absolutely wrong’. She clarified that she had great respect for Mahatma Gandhi.
BJP’s Pragya Thakur says, “Apne sangathan BJP mein nishtha rakhti hun, uski karyakarta hun aur party ki line meri line hai.” Earlier in the day, she had said “Nathuram Godse was, is and will remain a ‘deshbhakt’.” BJP has condemned her statement & asked her to apologise publicly pic.twitter.com/0bPJSsgPaL
— ANI (@ANI) May 16, 2019
Pragya Thakur had made the controversial statement while responding to actor-turned-politician, Kamal Haasan’ remark terming Godse as ‘independent India’s first terrorist who was a Hindu’. The President of the Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) party who is a new entrant to the political fray in India, at an election rally in Aravakurichi assembly constituency had termed Godse as independent India’s first terrorist, stirring a fresh controversy. “Independent India’s first terrorist was a Hindu. His name was Nathuram Godse. I’m not saying this because this is a locality with a sizeable Muslim population. I’m saying this in front of a Gandhi statue,” he had said.
