BJP leader Usha Thakur calls Nathuram Godse a ‘nationalist’
Bhopal, May 29: After all clamour for discipline, the BJP seems to have decided to soft-pedal action against Pragya Thakur over her remarks about Godses patriotism.
Even before the issue was put to rest, another Thakur has raised her voice in favour of Godse. The party MLA from Mhow in Indore, Usha Thakur, reiterated at a press conference on Wednesday what Pragya had said nearly two weeks ago. The message is clear: the party's threat to act against the offenders was just eyewash.
"Godse was a patriot, quite concerned about the nation," said Usha Thakur. We need to look at the circumstances prevailing in that period to ascertain what drove him to kill Mahatma Gandhi. The party has obviously decided to look the other way. Usha Thakur had hit the headlines three years ago by calling for a ban on Muslim youth participating in Garba during Navaratri. Like Pragya, the mobike-riding Usha has a penchant to dip words in venom before shooting them.
On May 16 the Pragya had incurred the leadership's wrath by calling Godse a patriot. BJP president Amit Shah had ordered show-cause notices to be served on her and three others, Karnataka's Anant Kumar Hegde and Nalin Kateel and Madhya Pradesh media cell in charge Anil Saumitra who eulogised Godse or demeaned Gandhi. They were asked to explain their conduct in ten days and the matter was referred to a disciplinary committee. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had gone to the extent of saying he would never be able to forgive Pragya.
Modi was shown ignoring Pragya when she greeted him during a meeting of new members of Lok Sabha. The whole sequence came to nought as Modi decided to forget her offence. There seems to be no further action after BJP suspended Saumitra from the primary membership of the party.
With the election heat on, the matter was referred to the disciplinary committee and the offenders were asked to explain their conduct in ten days. Despite her apology, the party was unhappy with Pragya Thakur. During the heat of the campaigning party president Amit Shah called the remarks on Mahatma Gandhi's assassin "not in line with the party's ideology" and party's disciplinary committee had given them 10 days to explain their comments.
The leaders have apparently not bothered to reply to the notice, nor has the disciplinary committee received any formal communication from the party president.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
