India

Hindu Mahasabha sets up Godse’s ‘temple’, Congress calls it sedition

Gwalior: A bust of Nathuram Godse, who killed Mahatma Gandhi, was installed and consecrated by the right-wing Hindu Mahasabha in its Gwalior office.

A provoked Congress has demanded that the organization should be booked for sedition. The BJP however said that the Congress has no right to lay ‘sole claim’ to Gandhi’s legacy. They added that if the organization had violated any law, they wold be dealt accordingly.

Godse was hanged in Ambala jail on November 15, in 1949 which the organisation observed as ‘balidan diwas’ (the day of sacrifice).

Hindu Mahasabha national vice president Jaiveer Bharadwaj said a 32-inch tall bust of Godse was installed at its office in Daulatganj area of Gwalior city.

He said the ritual of ‘pran pratishtha’ (consecration) was performed and ‘panchamrit’– a mixture of honey, liquid jaggery, milk, yogurt and ghee–was distributed as ‘prasad’ to the worshippers. An ‘arti’, a Hindu ritual, was also performed.

Bharadwaj told PTI over phone that the Mahasabha had sought permission of the district administration to construct a temple to Godse on November 9 which was denied.

He said now the ‘temple’ has been established at its office. “Nobody should have any objection to this as we have set up the temple in our own space. It is Mahasabha’s own property,” Bharadwaj said, adding Godse had once stayed there for a week.

Godse, he said, was a great nationalist, who was against the division of the country.

“Godse’s ashes are still kept in Pune. According to Godse’s last wish, his ashes will be immersed only when his dream of Akhand Bharat (undivided India) is fulfilled,” he added.

The Congress, however, took offence and demanded that a sedition case be registered against the outfit.

“This is a conspiracy to disgrace the Father of the Nation. On the one hand, Mahatma’s statue is burnt in Morena, while on the other Hindu Mahasabha has established the temple of Bapu’s killer in Gwalior. We demand that a case of sedition be filed against these people,” Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly Ajay Singh said.
Senior Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia was also critical of the development.

“A temple of Bapu’s killer is being established just under the nose of Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who pretended to be fasting using the name of Gandhiji. This is a shameful and condemnable act,” Scindia tweeted.

The BJP, however, said Congress should desist from claiming sole ownership of the Mahatma.

“Mahatma Gandhi’s legacy is the legacy of this country and the Congress should not try to claim sole ownership of him. If anybody has violated the law and the Constitution, such activity would come under the purview of law,” state BJP’s spokesperson Rajnish Jain told.

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