Former Union minister and BJP MP Anantkumar Hegde on Tuesday remained unrepentant over his controversial comments on Mahatma Gandhi-led freedom struggle saying that he never made any reference to the Father of the Nation.

Even as Hegde was censured by the BJP for terming Gandhi’s freedom struggle as a “big drama” staged with the “consent and support of the British”, the leader said he stands by his statement made on February 1.

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“I own my statement made on 1 February 2020. I never made any reference to any political party or Mahatma Gandhi or anybody else. I was just trying to categorize freedom struggle,” Hegde, a repeat offender, was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

“The speech is in public domain. If anyone wants to see, it is available online and on my website. I never said a word against Mahatma Gandhi and Pandit Nehru. I was just discussing about our freedom struggle,” he claimed.

“All related media reports are false. I never said what is being debated over. It is an unnecessary controversy,” he went on.

“If I have said even one word on Gandhi or (Jawaharlal) Nehru or any freedom fighter, then show it to me,” Hegde insisted.

At an event in Bengaluru, the Lok Sabha MP from Uttara Kannada had claimed that the “entire freedom movement was staged with the consent and support of the British, and the independence movement led by Gandhi was a drama”.

“None of these so-called leaders were beaten up by the cops even once. Their independence movement was one big drama. It was staged by these leaders with the approval of the British. It was not a genuine fight. It was an adjustment freedom struggle,” he said.

He also termed Mahatma Gandhi’s hunger strikes and satyagraha a “drama”.

“People supporting Congress keep saying that India got independence because of the fast unto death and satyagraha. This is not true. The British did not leave the country because of satyagraha,” he said.

“Britishers gave independence out of frustration. My blood boils when I read history. Such people become Mahatma in our country,” Hegde said in his concluding statement.

Following this, the Congress on Monday slammed the BJP leader saying the Father of the Nation does not need a certificate from the “cadre of Britisher’s chamchas and spies”.

Congress spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill in a tweet said that “it is high time the BJP is renamed ‘Nathuram Godse Party'”.

Meanwhile, according to reports, the remarks made by Anantkumar Hegde has not gone down well with the BJP as it asked its MP on Monday to issue an unconditional apology over his latest remark on Mahatma Gandhi.

Hegde has replied to the notice he was served by his party. The reply was sent to BJP president JP Nadda, who in turn has forwarded it to the BJP’s disciplinary committee.

According to BJP sources quoted by ANI, the issue has been referred to the party’s disciplinary committee for further action.

The BJP’s disciplinary committee will study his reply and decide whether it was an unintended faux pas or gross violation of party discipline.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is learnt to be “very upset” with Ananthkumar Hegde’s comments on Gandhi.

The Congress had on Monday said PM Modi must come to Parliament and clarify his position on BJP leader Anantkumar Hegde’s “objectionable” remarks on Gandhi.