BJP 'strongly condemns' Pragya Thakur over Godse 'patriot' remark, says Amit Shah

Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday claimed that the BJP-led government strongly condemns the remarks of the BJP Bhopal MP Pragya Thakur, hailing Mahatma Gandhi's assassin, Nathuram Godse inside the Parliament. In response to comments by industrialist Rahul Bajaj at an even, Amit Shah said that Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has already censured Thakur's comments and that the BJP has taken action against her. 

"Neither the government nor the BJP supports such remarks. We strongly condemn it," Shah said. BJP leader stoked a controversy on Wednesday in the Lower House, during DMK member A Raja's narration of a statement by Nathuram Godse before a court on why he killed Mahatma Gandhi.

As punishment for Thakur calling Godse a 'true patriot,' she was barred by the party from attending parliamentary BJP meeting in the ongoing winter session. The terror-accused was also removed from the consultative committee on defence. During a similar utterance in the past, PM Modi has stated that he would 'never forgive' for insulting Gandhi and calling his murderer a 'true patriot.'

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Opposition irked 

Thakur's statement irked the Opposition, who then filed an adjournment notice to oppose the BJP leader's statement. Adjournment notice was issued by the Congress party, Trinamool Congress, AAP and Indian Union Muslim League (IUML). AIMM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi also gave notice to Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla saying, "In this day and age, when media is 24 hours the whole country listens to what she has said.  I have given notice in Lok Sabha, let us see what the speaker decides.  They are enemies of Gandhi and admirer of Godse. This is not the first time she is saying and giving remarks on Godse," he said. 

Rahul Gandhi in a tweet called out the terror-accused, saying, "Terrorist Pragya calls terrorist Godse, a patriot. A sad day, in the history of India's Parliament." After creating a row, Pragya Thakur in a conditional apology claimed that her comments were 'misconstrued and misrepresented,' furthermore condemned Rahul Gandhi's statement after the Congress MP called her a 'terrorist.'

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She said,  "In the last few days, I wish to ask forgiveness for any comments made by me in Parliament. But I also wish to say that my comments have been misconstrued and misrepresented and I condemn that. I had meant something else. I acknowledge and respect the service done by Mahatma Gandhi towards the nation," she said. Thakur added, “I also wish to say that a certain MP has publicly called me a terrorist. Despite the previous government's conspiracies, no charges have been proved against me. Without being convicted, calling me a terrorist is unlawful. I have been insulted as a woman, sanyasi, and an MP”.  

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(With PTI inputs)