Can’t forgive Pragya for Godse remark, says Modi

Khargone, May 17

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said he would never forgive BJP candidate Pragya Singh Thakur for insulting Mahatma Gandhi by calling his assassin Nathuram Godse a true "patriot".

Modi told a TV channel during his last rally here ahead of the last phase of voting in the Lok Sabha polls that her comments were detrimental to society.

“Whatever has been said about Gandhi or Godse, these kinds of statements are very bad and worth contempt. In a cultured society, this type of language is not permissible. This type of thinking won’t do.

“Therefore, those who are doing this have to think a hundred times. Though she has apologised, I won’t be able to pardon her with my heart,” Modi said.

Earlier on Friday, 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 had said the party’s disciplinary committee has sought an explanation from them in 10 days.

During a road show in Madhya Pradesh Thursday, Thakur had said, Nathuram Godseji deshbhakt thay, 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 and 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 Kamal Haasan, who said Godse was the first Hindu extremist in independent India.

The Malegaon blast accused later apologised for her statement. PTI