BJP president Amit Shah on Friday defended the candidature of party’s Bhopal candidate Pragya Thakur calling it ‘satyagraha’ against the fake case of saffron terror.

“Pragya Thakur’s candidature is a ‘satyagraha’ against a fake case of bhagwa (saffron) terror. The then Congress government compromised with national security for vote-bank politics. Her candidature was ‘satyagraha’ against it,” Shah told a press conference also joined by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Shah, however, said that the party would take appropriate action after her reply to the show-cause notice.

Further, he accused the Congress of defaming Hindu-culture and sought an apology from Congress President Rahul Gandhi over the issue.

Earlier on Friday, PM Modi in an interview to News 24 TV channel said he will “never be able to forgive” Pragya Thakur for calling Mahatma Gandhi’s assassin Nathuram Godse a “patriot” and thereby insulting Bapu.

Read | Will never forgive Pragya Thakur for ‘Godse patriot’ remark insulting Bapu: PM Modi

PM Modi said everything said on Mahatma Gandhi and Nathuram Godse are condemnable and gives out a wrong message to the society.

Under fire for her remark that Nathuram Godse is a patriot, Pragya tendered an apology on Thursday night and said she respected Mahatma Gandhi as his work for the country cannot be forgotten.

Pragya, an accused in the Malegaon blast case 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.”

Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi too had defended BJP’s decision to field Pragya Thakur in the Lok Sabha elections saying it was a symbolic reply to all those who labelled the Hindu civilisation as “terrorist”.

Meanwhile, the BJP on Friday distanced itself from the controversial statements made by three of its leaders on Mahatma Gandhi assassin Nathuram Godse.

Statements of Anantkumar Hegde, Pragya Thakur and Nalin Kateel are their personal opinion. BJP has nothing to do with it, BJP president Amit Shah said in a statement issued after opposition outrage over the remarks.

Amit Shah further informed that BJP has taken their statements seriously and sent the remarks to the disciplinary committee.

The committee will seek explanations from all the three leaders and will submit the report to the party within 10 days.