Mumbai: The State government on Sunday assured the Legislative Council that it would take steps to stop the construction of a memorial to Nathuram Godse, being built by an organisation in Saparde village near Kalyan in Thane district. The assurance came after Council chairman Ramraje Nimbalkar directed the government to ensure the construction is stalled.
As per reports, the Hindu Mahasabha is constructing a memorial to Godse, who assassinated Mahatma Gandhi at Saparde village, located six kms from Kalyan, for which land has been acquired. Congress MLC Sanjay Dutt raised the issue in the Council through a point of propriety and demanded the State government’s intervention. “After coming to power by promising sabka saath, sabka vikas , the ruling regime’s mask is coming off and is proving that for them, it is actually mann mein Ram, dil mein Nathuram. ”
“Fascist forces who killed Mahatma Gandhi are now blatantly raising their heads once again to continuously throttle Bapu’s ideals and teachings, while the government is consciously turning a blind eye to it,” he added. Mr. Dutt said the Congress and other secular forces will not allow this to happen. “Godse’s memorial coming up in Kalyan is a blot on progressive Maharashtra and sends a wrong message across India and internationally. The government should immediately intervene to stop it and also take strict action against those initiating it, and against authorities concerned who have failed to take prompt action in the matter,”
Revenue Minister Chandrakant Patil, who is also Leader of the House, said the government has not given permission for the memorial. Mr. Nimbalkar said it may not have permission, but if someone is constructing Godse’s memorial, it should be stopped, to which Mr. Patil replied saying the government will initiate steps to stop the memorial’s construction. “We will conduct an inquiry into the matter and appropriate action will be taken against people involved in the memorial’s construction,” he said.
