BJP MLA Usha Thakur refers to Godse as patriot

In comments she reportedly made to reporters, Thakur, who is also vice-president of the state BJP unit, said Godse was a patriot and only he would know the circumstances under which he took the decision (to kill the Mahatma). She did not return calls to clarify or confirm the comment she made.

She added that Godse had shown concern for the country his entire life.

This isn’t the MLA’s first tiff with controversy. In the past, she had called for a ban on Muslims from participating in garba programmes during Navratri.

Narendra Saluja, who is the media coordinator of Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath, said by calling Godse a nationalist, Thakur had mocked the Prime Minister and the BJP. “Had the BJP cracked the whip against Sadhvi Pragya, no other BJP leader would have dared to make such a comment,” he said adding the PM’s assertion was only for public consumption.

The PM has said that he would never be able to forgive Pragya in his heart for her comments on Godse. The saffron party had distanced itself from the Malegaon blast accused’s statements.