Ballia (UP), Jun 7: Former Uttarakhand chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat on Wednesday termed Mahatma Gandhi's assassin Nathuram Godse a patriot while mocking Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for "merely" sharing the surname.

"Gandhi ji was killed, that is a different issue. But as far as I have understood and read Godse, he too was a patriot. We do not agree with the killing of Gandhi ji," the BJP leader told reporters.

Targeting the former Congress president, Rawat said merely having the Gandhi surname did not make his ideology Gandhian.

He said making a show of wearing the "janeu", or the sacred thread, does not change Rahul Gandhi's identity. "He just talks," Rawat claimed, accusing Rahul Gandhi of cashing in on the Mahatma's name.

Rawat referred to the controversial remarks made by the Congress leader in the US, and said his "efforts" will not help the party "which is soon going to be a thing of the past".

"Rahul Gandhi is speaking out of frustration, seeing the deteriorating condition of his party. He is speaking in mental stress. The public will not accept a person going through mental stress," he said.

On the Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav's meeting Wednesday with Aam Aadmi Party chief, Rawat said, "There is no bigger theatrical leader in this country than Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Akhilesh Yadav wants to learn theatrics from Kejriwal."

He accused Yadav of throwing Uttar Pradesh into "goonda raj" during his term as chief minister. The SP recruited gangsters and made the mafia "respectable", the Uttarakhand leader alleged.

He said people will again reject the SP.

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Bengaluru: Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Sunday criticised the Ramanagara district administration, alleging that the district commissioner was deliberately ignoring his phone calls.

Speaking at an indefinite farmers’ protest held at Bhairamangala, Kanchuganhalli and nearby villages, Kumaraswamy said the Ramanagara DC was not responding even after seeing his mobile number. “The moment they see my number, they don’t take the call at all,” he alleged.

Issuing a strong warning to officials, Kumaraswamy said government officers should not commit mistakes under pressure from anyone. “Even after retirement, you cannot escape responsibility. Don’t betray the people by succumbing to pressure from ministers or MLAs of this government,” he said.

Kumaraswamy asserted that he would not allow the state government to acquire fertile agricultural land around Bidadi. “We will not allow even an inch of land to be taken. Not a single inch,” he declared, throwing a direct challenge to the state government. He said protecting the land of women farmers was his responsibility and urged them not to give up their land under any circumstances.

Assuring farmers of his support, the Union Minister said they need not be afraid. “I am with you. Governments come and go, but people are permanent. Governments must bow to public opinion. If not, people know how to teach them a lesson,” he said.

Kumaraswamy also alleged that some individuals were supporting the land acquisition move, which he termed dangerous. He accused the government of attempting to acquire highly valuable and fertile land at throwaway prices. “Some people have already created land banks in benami names to loot. They are cheating the people and the government. The day is not far when such people will be forced to stand on the streets,” he warned.