Pragya Thakur's comment during SPG debate creates controversy; LS says her remarks 'non-recorded'

BJP member Pragya Thakur created a controversy on Wednesday with her remark in Lok Sabha during DMK member A Raja's narration of a statement by Nathuram Godse before a court on why he killed Mahatma Gandhi.

However, after opposition members protested against Thakur's remarks, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said only the DMK leader's speech during the discussion on the Special Protection Group (Amendment) Bill will go on record.

Later, the Lok Sabha secretariat issued a official communication, saying Thakur's remarks are "non-recorded".

Raja said that Godse himself admitted that he had nursed a grudge against Gandhi for 32 years before finally deciding to assassinate him.

 

Godse killed Gandhi because he believed in a particular philosophy, Raja added.

While the opposition members protested the interruption by Thakur, the BJP members persuaded her to sit down. After which, the Speaker said only A Raja's statement will be taken on record.

Later, during the course of discussion on the Bill, Congress' Gaurav Gogoi also took strong objection to Thakur's remarks and demaded that the member should apologise for it.

During the Lok Sabha election campaign, Thakur had described Godse as a patriot, triggering a huge political storm.

Later, she had apologised for her statement.

However, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said, "The remarks made about Gandhiji or Nathuram Godse are very bad and very wrong for society.... She has sought an apology but I would never be able to forgive her fully."

"Nathuram Godse was a deshbhakt, 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," the controversial leader had said while attending a roadshow.

She was replying to a question over actor-politician Kamal Haasan's remark that independent India's first "extremist was a Hindu", a reference to Godse.

The had BJP immediately got into damage control and distanced itself from Thakur's statement and asked her to tender a public apology.

Meanwhile, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi on Wednesday said Thakur has explained to the party that she did not support Nathuram Godse and was only speaking about revolutionary Udham Singh.