BJP condemns Pragya Thakur's remarks on Godse, drops her from defence panel
New Delhi: Cracking the whip on its serial-offender MP Pragya Thakur, who hailed Mahatma Gandhi's assassin Nathuram Godse in Lok Sabha, the BJP on Thursday barred her from attending its parliamentary party meeting in the ongoing Parliament session and removed her from the consultative committee on defence.
BJP working president J P Nadda announced the disciplinary action against her and condemned the controversial Hindutva leader's remarks in a bid to defuse the political crisis triggered by her remarks in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.
Nadda also said that Thakur will be removed from the consultative committee on defence, to which she was recently appointed.
"The statement given by MP Pragya Thakur is condemnable. BJP never supports such statement and we do not support this ideology. We have decided that Thakur will not attend meetings of BJP parliamentary party during the session," he told reporters.
Thakur created a controversy on Wednesday with her remark in the Lower House during DMK member A Raja's narration of a statement by Nathuram Godse before a court on why he killed Mahatma Gandhi.
However, after opposition members protested against Thakur's remarks, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said only the DMK leader's speech during the discussion on the Special Protection Group (Amendment) Bill will go on record.
Opposition parties attacked the government, particularly Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging that the PM's "inaction" against her proves his latent support to "Godse's sinister thought".
The opposition party said Thakur's remarks were a "perfect representation" of the BJP's "deplorable hate politics".
"We are very clear about it that we condemn her statement and we do not support this ideology," Nadda, who was accompanied by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi, said.
During the Lok Sabha election campaign, Thakur had described Godse as a patriot, triggering a huge political storm. Later, she had apologised for her statement.
However, Prime Minister Modi had said the remarks made about Gandhiji or Nathuram Godse were very bad and very wrong for society. "She has sought an apology but I would never be able to forgive her fully," he had said.
"Nathuram Godse was a 'deshbhakt', he is and will remain a 'deshbhakt'. Those calling him a terrorist should instead look at themselves. They will be given a befitting reply in this election," the controversial leader had said while attending a roadshow.
The BJP had immediately got into damage control and distanced itself from Thakur's statement and asked her to tender a public apology.
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Vijayendra hits back at CM Siddaramaiah over demand for PM Modi's resignation
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka BJP President B Y Vijayendra on Saturday said Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his Deputy D K Shivakumar should have resigned two years ago, if they expect Prime Minister Narendra Modi to step down over the recent fuel price hike.
His remarks came a day after Siddaramaiah condemned the petrol and diesel price hike, demanding its immediate rollback, and called for Modi’s resignation, holding him responsible for "failing" the people, mismanaging the economy, and pushing ordinary families into deeper hardship.
Rejecting Siddaramaiah's demands, he asked, "Does the Congress and other opposition parties in the country not know why the petrol and diesel prices are increasing? If they demand the Prime Minister's resignation for the hike in petrol and diesel, then Siddaramaiah and D K Shivakumar should have resigned two years ago."
Speaking to reporters here, he pointed out that the Congress government in the state increased petrol and diesel prices by hiking taxes without citing any reason.
"They have done it four to five times. How many times, then, should Siddaramaiah have resigned? Considering the situation globally and in the country, and the distress situation looming globally, the Prime Minister has advised certain things."
The BJP leader urged the opposition not to oppose for the sake of opposing.
Petrol and diesel prices were each hiked by Rs 3 per litre on Friday, the first rate increase in more than four years, amid mounting losses for fuel retailers due to surging global crude prices in the wake of the West Asia conflict.
The increase comes a couple of weeks after the Assembly elections concluded in Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, and Puducherry.
Vijayendra also dismissed the allegations that the price hike was deliberately delayed until the conclusion of polls in five states and one union territory, and said PM Narendra Modi doesn't make any decision keeping elections in mind.
"Considering the interests of the country, the people, and the poor, he makes appropriate decisions at the right time," he added.
