BJP removes Thakur from panel over Godse remark

The BJP yesterday condemned Bhopal MP Pragya Singh Thakur for her statement on Nathuram Godse, the assassin of Mahatma Gandhi, in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday and said she will be removed from the consultative committee on defence.BJP’s working president J P Nadda said: “We have decided that Thakur will be removed from the consultative committee of defence, and in this session, she will not be allowed to participate in the parliamentary party meetings. The party never supports such statements or ideology.” Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also condemned Pragya’s statement and said, “Mahatma Gandhi is our ideal. He will always remain the guiding force of this nation. His ideology is relevant even today.” Singh’s response came after Congress’ Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury raised Thakur’s remark soon after the House assembled for the day.After the minister’s response, the Congress staged a walkout from the House. Chowdhury said it is very “condemnable if any person calls Mahatma Gandhi’s killer a patriot”.Pragya on Wednesday triggered a massive controversy when she hailed Godse in the Lok Sabha. Soon opposition MPs protested against her remark saying she represent’s BJP’s hate politics.Pragya was included in the defence panel on November 23, triggering a massive protest even then. The Congress is determined to bring a censure motion against Thakur for her controversial remark.Senior Congress lawmaker Shashi Tharoor said he has drafted an application and will soon discuss with other opposition parties - who stand united - to confront Thakur for her remark.“We have sought an urgent apology from Thakur for her remark, failing which so we are left with no option but to initiate a censure motion,” Tharoor said.Even as the BJP sought to distance itself from Thakur’s remarks, Uttar Pradesh BJP legislator Surendra Singh defended Godse.“Godse committed a mistake but he was not a terrorist. Those who are involved in anti-national activities are terrorists,” the MLA told reporters yesterday.He further said, “Godse committed a mistake. He should have not killed patriot Gandhi.” Surendra Singh has a history of making controversial statements. He has made objectionable statements on politicians like Mayawati but surprisingly the state BJP has never reprimanded him on the issue.