Nathuram Godse too was a patriot: Former Uttarakhand chief minister Trivendra Rawat
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.
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.
Virat Kohli not available for Railways tie; Rishabh Pant, Harshit Rana to play
Bengaluru (PTI): India superstar Virat Kohli will not feature in Delhi's fixture against Railways in the Vijay Hazare Trophy here on Tuesday, head coach Sarandeep Singh told PTI.
Kohli, who made 131 and 77 on his return to the premier domestic one-day competition, will soon rejoin the national team for the ODI series against New Zealand beginning on January 11.
However, pacer Harshit Rana and wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant are available for selection for the game in Alur on Tuesday, said Sarandeep.
"Virat is not available. Pant and Harshit will be playing tomorrow," said the head coach and former India spinner.
DDCA president Rohan Jaitely had earlier indicated that Kohli would play three games.
Delhi currently lead Group D with four wins in five matches and a victory against Railways should be enough to advance in the tournament.
The first ODI between India and New Zealand will be played in Vadodara on January 11, followed by games in Rajkot and Indore on January 14 and 18 respectively.
Kohli, now a one format cricket, has been in stellar form of late and racked up two hundreds and an unbeaten 65 in the three-match home series against South Africa last month.
