The BJP on Thursday condemned its Bhopal Lok Sabha seat candidate Pragya Singh Thakur's praise for Mahatma Gandhi's assassin Nathuram Godse as "patriot" and asked her to tender a public apology.
"We completely disagree with her statement with regard to Mahatma Gandhi. We strongly condemn this statement. The party will seek clarification from her as to why she gave this. It would be proper for her to seek and tender a public apology for her objectionable statement," BJP spokesperson G V L Narasimha Rao said in a statement.
Thakur, an accused in the Malegaon blast case, ignited a fresh controversy Thursday by claiming that Godse "is and will remain a patriot".
Talking to a news channel in Madhya Pradesh, she said, "Nathuram Godse was a deshbhakt (patriot), he is and will remain a deshbhakt. Those calling him a terrorist should instead look at themselves. They will be given a befitting reply in this election."