‘Nathuram Godse a patriot’, says BJP’s Pragya Thakur

BJP’s Bhopal candidate Pragya Thakur created controversy on Thursday by saying that Mahatma Gandhi’s assassin Nathuram Godse “was a patriot.”

“Nathuram Godse was a patriot and will remain a patriot. People calling him a terrorist should instead look within, such people will be given a befitting reply in these elections,” Pragya Thakur was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

Actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan had recently said that the first terrorist in free India was a Nathuram Godse, a Hindu. The Makkal Needhi Maiam chief’s comments were panned with various outfits.

Kamal Haasan’s party went on a damage control mode and said his speech was taken “out of context” and painted as anti-Hindu with “mala fide intent”.

Praya Thakur, one of the accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, was asked to comment on Kamal Haasan’s recent comment on Godse.