Pragya Singh Thakur (also known as Sadhvi Pragya), the BJP's candidate for Bhopal constituency, apologised early on Friday morning for describing Nathuram Godse, the assassin of Mahatma Gandhi, as a patriot. Pragya's remarks triggered outrage among opposition parties and on social media.
Pragya had made the controversial remarks on Thursday during an interaction with mediapersons in Dewas, Madhya Pradesh, where she was campaigning. When asked for her reaction to remarks by actor-politician Kamal Haasan that Godse was a terrorist, Pragya replied, “Nathuram Godse was, is and would remain a patriot”.
Her remarks created an uproar, forcing the BJP to declare it would ask Pragya to apologise for the remarks about Godse.
मैं नाथूराम गोडसे के बारे में दिये गए मेरे बयान के लिये देश की जनता से माफ़ी माँगती हूँ । मेरा बयान बिलकुल ग़लत था । मैं राष्ट्रपिता महात्मा गांधी जी का बहुत सम्मान करती हूँ ।
— Sadhvi Pragya Official (@SadhviPragya_MP) May 16, 2019
Pragya tweeted in Hindi at 1.19am on Friday, “I apologise to the people of the country for my remarks about Nathuram Godse. My statement was totally wrong. I deeply respect father of the nation Mahatma Gandhi.”
Interestingly, following the furore over her remarks, Pragya appeared to go into damage-control mode on Thursday night itself, issuing what can be termed a 'conditional' apology. She released a video statement, which said, “My sentiment was not to hurt anyone's feelings. If it has hurt anybody's feelings then I apologise. What Gandhiji has done for the country cannot be forgotten. I respect him a lot.”
Pragya added her comments about Godse were made at the “spur of the moment” and were twisted by the media. She also declared the BJP's line was her line.
also read
Reacting to Pragya's statement, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath declared legal action should be taken against her. He alleged Pragya's statement reflected the BJP's way of thinking. “Now BJP will condemn it. But this is BJP's old style. First, it makes its leaders give controversial statements and later condemns it. The people of the country must take cognisance of this. This shows the level of flaw in their thinking,” he declared.
