Can't forgive Pragya for Godse 'deshbhakt' remark, says Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday said he will never forgive BJP candidate Pragya Singh Thakur for insulting Mahatma Gandhi by calling his assassin Nathuram Godse a true patriot. Modi told a TV channel during his last rally here ahead of the last phase of voting in the Lok Sabha polls that her comments were detrimental to society.

"Whatever has been said about Gandhi or Godse, these kind of statements are very bad and worth contempt. In a cultured society, this type of language is not permissible. This type of thinking won't do.

"Therefore, those who are doing this have to think a hundred times. Though she has apologised, I won't be able to pardon her with my heart," Modi said. Earlier Friday, BJP president Amit Shah said remarks on Mahatma Gandhi's assassin by three BJP leaders - Thakur, Union Minister Anantkumar Hegde and Karnataka MP Nalin Kumar Kateel - were not in line with the party's ideology.

Shah had said the party's disciplinary committee has sought an explanation from them in 10 days. During a roadshow in Madhya Pradesh Thursday, Thakur had said, Nathuram Godseji deshbhakt the, hai, aur rahenge unko aatankwadi kahne wale log swayam ki gireban me jhaank kar dekhe chunav mein aise logon ko jawab de diya jayega (Nathuram Godse was a patriot, is a patriot, and will remain a patriot and those who call him a terrorist should look within, they will get a reply in this election).

She was responding to a comment made by actor-turned-politician Kaman Haasan, who said Godse was the first Hindu terrorist in independent India. The Malegaon blast accused later apologised for her statement.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)