Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday condemned the statements made by Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur on Mahatma Gandhi’s assassin, Nathuram Godse and said that he would never be able to forgive her.
The controversy sparked on Thursday when Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, the Bhopal Candidate of BJP said that Godse was a patriot. Similar statements were made in favour of Godse by BJP leader from Karnataka, Ananth Kumar Hegde and Nalin Kumar Katil, also from Karnataka.
While campaigning on Friday, Modi told a news channel, “The statements are very condemnable and it should be criticized. There is no space for such language and thinking in the country. People who make such statements will have to think 100 times in future. I will never be able to forgive those who made these statements.”
Meanwhile, the saffron party has decided to take disciplinary action against its three leaders who had favoured Nathuram Godse.
Party President, Amit Shah too gave his opinion on the matter, "Statements of Ananth Kumar Hegde, Pragya Thakur and Nalin Kateel are their personal opinion, BJP has nothing to do with it. They have withdrawn their statements and apologized. BJP has taken their statements seriously and sent these statements to the disciplinary committee."
He further claimed that the party has asked the three leaders to explain their statements and the disciplinary committee would submit its report in ten days.
Ahead of the crucial last phase of election which will witness polling on 59 seats, the party wishes to not get into any controversy which will weaken its chances.