Hindu Mahasabha plans for Godse statue, opposition cries foul

New Delhi: Leaders of opposition parties on Friday strongly criticised the Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha's views regarding Mahatma Gandhi's assassinator Nathuram Godse and the Centre's silence regarding the same, urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take a stand on the matter.

The Hindu Mahasabha has requested land from the Centre to erect a statue of Mahatma Gandhi's assassin in the national capital.

The views within the Congress party were conflicting, with some party members urging the Prime Minister to express his views on the matter, while others were of the opinion that such a move revealed the 'true face' of the BJP.

"The government is silent, the Prime Minister is silent and the nation wants them to make clear their point of view in this matter. They praise Godse's life and celebrate his birth anniversary, and now are even talking of making a statue in his honour, yet the Prime Minister does not say anything," Congress leader K Rahman Khan told a news agency.

"This statement shows the true face of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). I will not be surprised if, amongst all the statues in the Parliament, tomorrow they add a statue of Godse. Only a traitor can make such a statement," Madhusadan Mistry said to the media.

Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Ram Gopal Yadav merely linked the Hindu Mahasabha's plans to the BJP.

"A certain member of the Hindu Mahasabha has fought on a BJP seat... They all want to spread a communal disharmony through different mediums," he stated.

Earlier in the day, Hindu Mahasabha Chandra Prakash Kaushik, in a letter to the government, demanded that statues of Nathuram Godse be erected at public places all over New Delhi, including iconic roads such as Mandir Marg.

"BJP MP Sakshi Maharaj called Godse a patriot but promptly took back his statement. That has made us unhappy. Godse had no personal enmity with Mahatma Gandhi but he still killed him. There has never been any investigation in as to why," he stated.

If there can be an Akbar Road, Humayun Road or Aurangzeb Road in the national capital, then why not a Godse road," he added.