Hindu Mahasabha to observe Nathuram Godse`s death anniv as `balidan diwas`

`Godse was much more patriotic than Gandhi...very sure several people in the country think so.`

New Delhi: In what may mean more trouble for the Narendra Modi government – already battling accusations on the growth of the Hindu right wing - the Hindu Mahasabha has announced that it wants to to commemorate November 15 – the day Mahatma Gandhi's assassin Nathuram Godse was hanged – as 'balidan diwas'.

The Mahasabha had last year declared that it will build temples in honour of Godse – he was hanged in Ambala jail on November 15, 1949.

As per a newspaper report, Mahasabha president Chandraprakash Kaushik has drawn up plans to observe 'balidan diwas' all across the country.

"Godse was much more patriotic than Gandhi. I am very sure several people in the country think so. 'Balidan diwas' should be a day for the countrymen to sit and think why Godse killed Gandhi," Kaushik told The Economic Times.

Among the other plans, students will enact plays on Godse's life.

Members will also read out Godse's speech during the trial and distribute copies of 'Gandhivadh Kyon', a book written by Gopal Godse, Nathuram Godse's younger brother.

The Mahasabha will build a Godse rath as well. The rath will have pictures of Bhagart Singh, Savarkar and other revolutionaries besides that of Godse.