The Madhya Pradesh police and district administration on Tuesday seized the bust of Nathuram Godse, which was installed inside the office of the Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha's office in Gwalior. The district Collector had on Tuesday morning ordered for removal of the bust.
After removing the bust, the administration has sealed the room. A police team has also been deployed at the office premises. Members of Mahasabha had locked the office to stop officials from entering. But police broke the door down and seized the bust before sealing the room.
Notably, on November 15, the Hindu Mahasabha installed an idol of Godse inside their office on his 68th death anniversary.
The Mahasabha had requested for land from the district administration for a temple dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi's assassin in the city, but their plea was not entertained. "The Government refused to give us land for the temple, so we created one on our private land," Hindu Mahasabha VP, Narayan Sharma had told.
Sharma also said four political parties helped them to establish the temple, adding the temple was established on their property and that nobody can change or touch our personal opinions.
Nathuram Vinayak Godse was a Hindu nationalist, who assassinated Mahatma Gandhi, shooting him in the chest three times at point blank range in New Delhi on January 30, 1948. He was hanged till death on November 15, 1949.
Earlier, the Mahasabha had said the temple was meant to create awareness among the youth as the events surrounding Godse's life were often distorted. However, the Congress had termed it an anti-national act.