Mahatma Gandhi assassin Nathuram Godse a 'patriot', says Pragya Thakur; BJP condemns

BJP candidate Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur has stirred a massive political controversy by saying that Nathuram Godse, who assassinated Mahatma Gandhi, "was a deshbhakt (patriot), is a deshbhakt and will remain one". The Malegaon blast accused also said that such people will be given a befitting reply in this Lok Sabha Election.

"Nathuram Godse was a 'deshbhakt', is a 'deshbhakt' and will remain a 'deshbhakt'. People calling him a terrorist should instead look within, such people will be given a befitting reply in these elections," she said. 

#WATCH BJP Bhopal Lok Sabha Candidate Pragya Singh Thakur says 'Nathuram Godse was a 'deshbhakt', is a 'deshbhakt' and will remain a 'deshbhakt'. People calling him a terrorist should instead look within, such people will be given a befitting reply in these elections pic.twitter.com/4swldCCaHK

— ANI (@ANI) May 16, 2019

Thakur said this when she was asked to comment on Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) president Kamal Haasan's "free India's first extremist was a Hindu" remark. 

Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party has condemned her remark and said that the leader should apologise for it. "BJP does not agree with this statement, we condemn it. Party will ask her for clarification, she should apologise publicly for this statement," GVL Narasimha Rao said.

Her remark drew sharp criticism from the opposition with the Congress terming it an attack on India's soul.

"India's soul is under attack by successors of Godse, the BJP ruling dispensation. BJP leaders are describing the murderer of the father of the nation as a true nationalist and declaring those who sacrificed their lives for nation like Hemant Karkare as anti-nationals," Randeep Surjewala said. 

R Surjewala,Congress: India's soul is under attack by successors of Godse, the BJP ruling dispensation.BJP leaders are describing the murderer of father of the nation as a true nationalist&declaring those who sacrificed their lives for nation like Hemant Karkare as anti-nationals pic.twitter.com/yX8SuEndlL

— ANI (@ANI) May 16, 2019

Earlier, she courted a major controversy by saying she had cursed Maharashtra ATS chief Hemant Karkare during her prison term, after which he died in firing during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack.