'Terrorist Pragya calls terrorist Godse a patriot': on twitter, Rahul Gandhi tears into BJP MP

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said BJP MP Pragya Thakur’s remarks glorifying Nathuram Godse, which are now expunged, reflect the “heart of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and BJP” and he does not want to "waste time" by seeking action against her.

Gandhi also took to Twitter to express his disappointment with Mahatma Gandhi’s assassin being hailed, saying: “Terrorist Pragya calls terrorist Godse, a patriot. A sad day, in the history of India’s Parliament.”

BJP’s controversial Bhopal lawmaker was on Thursday axed from the parliamentary consultative committee on defence and barred from the party’s parliamentary meetings for the winter session after her remark invited criticism from the Opposition.

Condemning the statement, BJP working president JP Nadda said: “Her statement yesterday in Parliament is condemnable. The BJP never supports such statement or ideology… We have



decided that Thakur will not attend meetings of BJP parliamentary party during the session.” BJP sources added that Thakur’s suspension from the party has not been ruled out.

The motor-mouth MP had made the remark on Wednesday in the Lok Sabha after interrupting DMK member A Raja's narration of a statement by Nathuram Godse before a court on why he killed Mahatma Gandhi. Her statement was, however, expunged by the Speaker.

This is not the first time Thakur has stoked a row over Godse. She had described him as a “true patriot” during the campaign for 2019 Lok Sabha elections, giving ammunition to the Opposition. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had then said he would never forgive Thakur.

With Thakur repeating the statement, the Congress has attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the comments, alleging that the PM's "inaction" against her proves his latent support to "Godse's sinister thought".