Pragya Thakur Issues Second Apology Over Godse, Says 'Didn't Say He Was A Patriot'

BJP MP Pragya Thakur  has issued a second apology in the same day on Friday  for her remarks on Nathuram Godse . This time Thakur said that she did not say Gode was a patriot. 

“On 27 November, during discussion on Special Protection Group (Amendment) Bill, 2019, I did not call Nathuram Godse a ‘deshbhakt’. I did not even mention his name. I apologise again if I have hurt any sentiments,” Thakur told the Lok Sabha. 

A ruckus ensued in Parliament on Friday when Thakur first claimed that her statement about Godse was misquoted and demanded an apology from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for calling her a terrorist. 

Thakur said, “My statements made in Parliament are being distorted. I respect Mahatma Gandhi’s contribution to the nation... I apologise If I have hurt any sentiments.”

Thakur went on to attack Gandhi claiming she was dubbed a terrorist even though there were no proven charges against her. 

Her statement created a ruckus in Parliament with opposition parties raising “down, down Godse” in Parliament. 

The BJP in turn attacked the Congress over forming a government in Maharashta. “Congress has made government with Shiv Sena in Maharashtra. Shiv Sena called Nathuram Godse a patriot in ‘Saamna’. Congress satta aur lalach ke liye kisi bhi seema tak ja sakti hai,” ANI quoted BJP MP Nishikant Dubey as saying in Lok Sabha. 

The first-time MP from Bhopal had yelled out “Deshbhakton ka naam nahin lenge aap (You cannot speak about patriots),” when DMK MP A Raja was reading out a quote by Nathuram Godse, the man who killed Mahatma Gandhi. 

The BJP announced that Thakur will be barred from meetings of party MPs during the winter session of Parliament and was also dropped from a Parliamentary panel for defence that was led by Rajnath Singh amid uproar over her comments. 

Rahul Gandhi had said on Twitter, “Terrorist Pragya calls terrorist Godse, a patriot. A sad day, in the history of India’s Parliament.”

Even though Thakur denies calling Godse ‘deshbakht’ in Parliament, she had made such a statement earlier as well. In reply to actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan  calling Godse the first extremist of independent India, had said, “Nathuram Godse was a ‘deshbhakt’, is a ‘deshbhakt’ and will remain a ‘deshbhakt’. People calling him a terrorist should instead look within, such people will be given a befitting reply in these elections.”

During that time, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said he would never be able to forgive her for such a statement.