Under Opposition fire, BJP MP Sadhvi Pragya Thakur apologises again for Godse remarks

Thakur had on Friday had offered her apology in Lok Sabha over her controversial remarks glorifying Mahatma Gandhi's assassin Nathuram Godse.

New Delhi: Controversial BJP MP from Bhopal Sadhvi Pragya Thakur, who is under opposition fire for her remarks glorifying Mahatma Gandhi's assassin Nathuram Godse, apologised again on Friday for hurting people's sentiments.

Clarifying on the issue, Thakur said, ''On November 27, during the discussion on Special Protection Group (Amendment) Bill, 2019, I did not call Nathuram Godse a 'deshbhakt'. I did not even mention his name. I apologise again if I have hurt any sentiments.''

She also claimed that her remarks were distorted and presented in a different manner. Reading out a brief statement made in the Parliament, she also questioned whether an action will be taken against the Member of Parliament who had called her a 'terrorist.' 

Prior to this, the controversial BJP leader had on Friday offered her apology in Lok Sabha over her controversial remarks glorifying Mahatma Gandhi's assassin Nathuram Godse.

"If anyone is hurt due to any of my statements, I apologise. But my remarks were misquoted and mispresented in the House," Sadhvi Pragya had said in Parliament amid loud uproar by an Opposition leader. 

The firebrand BJP leader also took a potshot at Congress former president Rahul Gandhi without taking his name and said, "A member of the House referred to me as 'terrorist'. It is an attack on my dignity. No charges against me have been proven in court." 

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had on Monday termed Pragya Singh Thakur a 'terrorist' over her remarks, which were expunged, in Parliament on Nathuram Godse.

Terrorist Pragya calls terrorist Godse, a patriot. A sad day, in the history of India`s Parliament," Rahul had tweeted on Thursday.

Speaking to reporters, Rahul said that Thakur's remarks reflect the 'heart of the RSS and the BJP.'

"What she is saying -- that is the heart of the RSS and BJP. It cannot be hidden. I do not need to waste my time demanding action against that woman," Rahul said. He added that no matter how much the BJP worships Mahatma Gandhi; their real sentiments are bound to come out in some way or the other. "Nothing can be hidden," he said. 

In the wake of the controversy, the BJP high command had punished Thakur over her remarks by removing her from the parliamentary panel on Defence. The central leadership of the party had also asked her not to join meetings of the parliamentary party in the remaining winter session.

Thakur had sparked row with an interjection during DMK leader A Raja’s reference to Godse in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday. 

The issue later triggered a protest by the Opposition. Raja had cited a statement on Godse on why he killed Gandhi during a discussion on the Special Protection Group (Amendment) Bill, 2019, to which Thakur reacted strongly.