PM Narendra Modi: Can’t forgive Pragya Singh Thakur for Godse ‘deshbhakt’ remark

Prime Minister Narendra Modi. (PTI Photo: Manvender Vashist)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday said he cannot forgive Pragya Singh Thakur for calling Mahatma Gandhi’s assassin Nathuram Godse a “deshbhakt” (patriot). In an interview to News24 ahead of the last phase of voting in the Lok Sabha elections, the Prime Minister said her comments were detrimental to society.

“The statements that have been made about Gandhiji or Nathuram Godse are very bad and very wrong for society. Although she has sought an apology, I would never be able to forgive her completely,” PM Modi said.

गांधी जी या गोडसे के बारे में जो बयान दिए गए हैं वो बहुत ख़राब है और समाज के लिए बहुत गलत हैं।

ये अलग बात है की उन्होंने माफ़ी मांग ली, लेकिन मैं उन्हें मन से कभी माफ़ नहीं कर पाऊंगा: पीएम मोदी #DeshKaGauravModi

— BJP (@BJP4India) May 17, 2019

His comments were made hours after BJP president Amit Shah said remarks on Mahatma Gandhi’s assassin by three BJP leaders — Thakur, Union Minister Anantkumar Hegde and Karnataka MP Nalin Kumar Kateel — were not in line with the party’s ideology. Shah added that the party’s disciplinary committee has sought an explanation from them on the matter within 10 days.

READ | Godse is, was, will remain deshbhakt: Pragya, accused of terror, defines patriotism

“Statements by Ananthkumar Hegde, Pragya Thakur and Nalin Kateel are their personal opinion, BJP has nothing to do with it. The three have withdrawn their statements and have apologised. Still, the BJP has taken their statements, which is against the party’s dignity and ideologies, seriously and has decided to send these statements to the disciplinary committee,” Shah said.

Also read | Godse a ‘deshbhakt’: Pragya’s remark a self-goal, not what BJP, RSS want to hear

During a roadshow in Madhya Pradesh’s Agar town, Thakur, an accused in the Malegaon blast, had said, “Nathuram Godseji deshbhakt the, hai, aur rahenge… unko aatankwadi kahne wale log swayam ki gireban me jhaank kar dekhe… chunav mein aise logon ko jawab de diya jayega (Nathuram Godse was a patriot, is a patriot, and will remain a patriot… those who call him a terrorist should look within… they will get a reply in this election).”

She was responding to a comment made by actor-turned-politician Kaman Haasan, who said Godse was the “first Hindu extremist” in independent India.

Thakur later apologised for her statement.