Godse tweets give Cong ammo to fire at BJP

The state Congress leaders mounted an attack on the BJP, especially on Union Minister Anantkumar Hegde and MP Nalin Kumar Kateel for their pro-Nathuram Godse tweets on Friday.

The party will hold statewide protests on Saturday against the BJP leaders who came out in support of Mahatma Gandhi’s assassin Nathuram Godse even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemned them.

“If Godse, who killed Gandhi, is a patriot, then all extremists in India will be patriots,” Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Siddaramaiah told reporters. “If they (BJP) leaders don’t have respect for the country, its history and those who fought for our independence, how can they be patriots?”

Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge hit out at Modi on the issue. “Gandhi gave his life for the country. But his killer Godse is being seen as some kind of God. Modi bows before the Father of the Nation and also, these things (about Godse) are being said. There’s a danger to society from these people,” he said.

Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Dinesh Gundu Rao said the BJP should have “immediately expelled” its Bhopal candidate Sadhvi Pragya Thakur, who said Godse was a deshbhakt (patriot). “They should have acted against Hegde and Kateel also for supporting her statement. But (BJP national president) Amit Shah says they’ll do so after 10 days. Elections will be over by then,” Rao said.

“We will hold protests in all districts. If Godse is being hailed as a patriot, one can imagine the kind of ideology the BJP is spreading. If Godse is a patriot, what is Gandhi then?” Rao said.