As three more BJP leaders — Union Minister Anantkumar Hegde, Karnataka MP Nalin Kumar Kateel and Madhya Pradesh party spokesperson Anil Soumitra- echoed Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur’s view on Nathuram Godse, Prime Minister Narendra Modi broke his silence on the issue and said he will never forgive Pragya Singh for her remarks.
BJP chief Amit Shah said the party’s disciplinary committee has sought an explanation from them in 10 days.
The BJP top leadership was pushed into a corner and forced to ask its leaders to explain their comments on Mahatma Gandhi’s assassin Nathuram Godse in view of all-round condemnation and the Congress questioning the PM’s silence on the row.
Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) VL Kanthrao on Friday submitted a factual report to the Election Commission (EC) over the statement of Pragya.
Reacting to Sadhvi’s comments on Godse, Modi said, “I will never be able to forgive Sadhvi Pragya for insulting Mahatma Gandhi.”
“Whatever has been said about Gandhi or Godse, these kind of statements are very bad and worth contempt. In a cultured society, this type of language is not permissible. This type of thinking won’t do. Therefore, those who are doing this have to think a hundred times. Though she has apologised, I won’t be able to pardon her from my heart,” Modi said, to a TV channel, hours before campaigning for the last phase of Lok Sabha polls ended.
Earlier, BJP president Shah said the party has taken serious note of the statements from Union Minister Anantkumar Hegde, Pragya Thakur and its Karnataka MP Nalin Kumar Kateel. Stating that the comments were against the party’s ideology, Shah asked the party’s disciplinary committee to submit a report on the issue in 10 days for further action.”
The entire BJP regrets the remarks and that is why prompt action has been taken, Shah said at a Press conference with PM Modi alongside him. “We will immediately decide on appropriate action on them,” Shah said.
“The BJP does not associate itself with the comments. We not only consider such remarks as personal but also we have issued notices to those responsible and disciplinary proceedings have been initiated against them,” Shah said.
On the candidature of Sadhvi, the BJP chief said, “Her candidature is a ‘satyagrah’ against a fake case of fake Bhagwa terror. A fake case of ‘Bhagwa terror’ was made in which accused have been acquitted”.
The BJP has been put in a tight spot since Sadhvi called Godse a patriot, fuelling an all-out attack by the Opposition. Even as the party was trying to contain the damage, two more leaders - Union Minister Ananthkumar Hegde and Nalin Kumar Kateel - tweeted in support of Godse just before the last round of voting for the national election on Sunday.
After the controversy erupted, Sadhvi apologised for her comment and retracted the statement. “It was my personal opinion remark. My intention was not to hurt anyone’s sentiments. If I’ve hurt anyone I do apologise. What Gandhi Ji has done for the country cannot be forgotten. My statement has been twisted by the media,” she tweeted her apology.
Modi had earlier defended BJP’s decision to field Malegaon blast accused Sadhvi Pragya. He had stated the ticket to Pragya Thakur was an answer to those who branded 5,000 years of civilisation as terrorism. “They defamed a 5000-old culture that believes in Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam. They called them terrorists. To answer them all, this is a symbol and it will cost Congress,” Modi had said.
Joining the Godse debate, Kateel tweeted, “Number of people killed by Nathuram is 1. Number of people Ajmal Kasab killed is 72. Number of people Rajiv Gandhi killed is 17,000. Now you tell me who is the most cruel person?”
Another related tweet appeared on Union Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Anantkumar Hegdes official Twitter handle. Sharing a woman’s tweet, Hegdes tweet read, “Am glad that 7 decades later today’s generation debates in a changed perceptional environment and gives good scope for the condemned to be heard upon. #NathuramGodse would have finally felt happy with the debate. Another tweet that appeared on Hegdes page said, “Time to assert and move away from being apologetic! If not now... When???
Meanwhile, the Madhya Pradesh unit of the BJP suspended its spokesperson Anil Saumitra over his social media post calling Mahatma Gandhi father of Pakistan. In a Facebook post, Saumitra said that Mahatma Gandhi is a father of nation but for Pakistan. He added that crores of people were born in the country, though some were useful and others were useless.
Earlier, questioning PM Modi’s silence on Sadhvi Pragya, Congress leader Kapil Sibal tweeted, “When Sadhvi Pragya says, “Godse a Deshbakht” and Modi is silent with Vidyasagar’s statue a victim of violence. I can only pray for my country and hope that one day the silent majority will keep violence at bay”. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu met the CEC Sunil Arora and demanded to take action against BJP candidate Sadhvi Pragya for her remarks. The CPI (M) on Friday described Sadhvi’s apology for calling Mahatma Gandhi’s assassin a “patriot” an “eyewash”.