Nehru himself might have arranged Gandhi's assassination: BJP's Basangouda Patil Yatnal

Hubballi: Stroking a controversy a day before the Congress' mega convention to commemorate the centenary of Mahatma Gandhi presiding over the Congress convention in Belagavi, BJP MLA Basangouda Patil Yatnal on Monday suspected that Jawaharlal Nehru himself arranged the assassination of Gandhi as his body had three bullets "but only one of them was fired by Nathuram Godse".

"One bullet fired Godse hit Gandhi, but his body had three bullets. From where did two more bullets come? Who arranged that? Did Nehru arrange that? I suspect that Nehru arranged the assassination because he wanted to be a dictator. Gandhi did not breathe his last due to the bullet fired by Godse. During the arguments in the court also, the question about who fired the remaining two bullets had arisen. Godse fired one bullet, while the remaining two were fired by others. That means, Nehru arranged the assassination of Gandhi," he said.

Claiming that today's Congressmen have no link with Gandhi and the convention to be held in Belagavi on January 21 (Tuesday) is a convention of 'fake Gandhis', Yatnal said Congress leaders do not follow Gandhi's principles, but just run a 'drama company' by wearing Gandhi topi and raising slogans.

He also opined that the Congress insulted Dr B R Ambedkar and it is unfit to say 'Jai Bhim'.

Faction to contest

Continuing his attack on State BJP president B Y Vijayendra, the Bijapur City MLA who leads the team of disgruntled BJP leaders in the state, said their team would field its candidate in the election for the BJP state unit president's post. "We also have a core committee, and we will decide there. We are ready, and let the high command be the mediator in the polls," he said.

In the wake of Vijayendra expressing confidence in continuing in the post, Yatnal termed that as the desire to 'loot' remaining things in the state, and to purchase the entire state by making a duplicate signature.

"Complaints against us have filled an entire room in the BJP office. Notice was given to me recently, I answered, and the expulsion letter has not come," he said.

Defending another disgruntled BJP leader Ramesh Jarkiholi terming Vijayendra as unfit for the State BJP president's post, Yatnal asked, "Should one who forged his father's signature be called a 'sadhu' or 'great leader'?"

If the government, CM Siddaramaiah and Dy CM D K Shivakumar have the guts, let them order a probe into signatures made when B S Yeddiyurappa was the CM, and send those signatures for forensic test. If they are proved to be of Yediyurappa's signature, Ramesh's statement would be withdrawn, and if not, it would be proved that he (Vijayendra) is unfit, Yatnal added.