Following Pragya Singh Thakur’s remark on Nathuram Godse, senior BJP leader GVL Narasimha Rao issued a hurried statement on Thursday in which he said that the party does not endorse her comment and will ask her to give an explanation.

“BJP does not agree with this statement, we condemn it. Party will ask her for clarification. She should apologise publicly for this statement,” said Narasimha Rao.

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Meanwhile, Randeep Surjewala of Congress, while addressing the media said that India’s soul is under attack by the successors of Godse, the killer of Mahatma Gandhi.

“The BJP leaders are describing the murderer of the father of the nation as a true nationalist and declaring those who sacrificed their lives for the nation, like Hemant Karkare, as anti-nationals.

“This has clarified one thing that BJP is the real and true heir of Nathuram Godse. BJP’s real face, which is a very violent one has finally been revealed. BJP has attacked and trampled Bapu’s ideology.

“Today, they (BJP) fired bullets of their words on the ideology of Bapu, the father of the nation. Modi and Shah’s favourite Pragya Singh Thakur has described Nathuram Godse as real patriot. She has insulted the entire nation and India will never forgive her for this crime.

Congress Lok Sabha candidate from Bhopal Digvijaya Singh, who is pitted against Pragya Thakur, described her remark as seditious and said that Prime Minister Modi and BJP President Amit Shah should clarify their stands on the same.

“Modi ji, Amit Shah ji and the state BJP should give their statements and apologise to the nation. I condemn this statement. Nathuram Godse was a killer and glorifying him is not patriotism, it is sedition,” said Digvijaya Singh.

Pragya Singh Thakur, BJP candidate from the Bhopal Lok Sabha seat, on Thursday, said that Nathuram Godse was a “deshbhakt (patriot)”, is a “deshbhakt (patriot)” and will remain a “deshbhakt (patriot). People calling him a terrorist should instead look within, such people will be given a befitting reply in these elections.”

Pragya was replying to a query on Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) chief and actor Kamal Haasan’s remark that the “first terrorist in independent India was a Hindu”, referring to Mahatma Gandhi’s assassin Nathuram Godse, which he made while campaigning in the Aravakurichi assembly constituency in Tamil Nadu.