In the light of BJP Bhopal candidate Pragya Singh Thakur's comments on Mahatma Gandhi’s assassin Nathuram Godse on Thursday, the Left parties have sounded caution that her statement is only meant to further polarise the voters.
Campaigning for her party candidate in Agar Malwa in Madhya Pradesh, Ms. Thakur termed Godse a patriot. “Nathuram Godse ek deshbhakt the, hain aur rahenge [Nathuram Godse was a patriot, is a patriot and will always be one],” she said.
Ms Thakur was reacting to Makkal Needhi Maiyam founder Kamal Haasan’s speech at a recent poll rally in Tamil Nadu when he said the first terrorist in free India was a Hindu and his name was Nathuram Godse.
CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury told The Hindu, “They are trying to make a hair-splitting distinction between a terrorist and assassin. The point is not the terminology. The fact remains a fanatic Hindu murdered the Mahatma, which was the first act of political murder post independence.”
The Communist Party of India too maintained that the facts should be kept in mind in face of such rhetoric. Its leader D. Raja said, “It's a fact that Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated and the incident was a well-planned one to spread hatred, create fear and to send out a message. This assassination was carried out by Nathuram Godse.”
