Congress leader Rahul Gandhi hit out at Pragya Thakur for her comments on Nathuram Godse.
The Congress's Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said that BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur's now-expunged remarks on Mahatma Gandhi's assassin Nathuram Godse reflect the "heart of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and BJP" and that he does not want to "waste time" by demanding action against her.
"Terrorist Pragya calls terrorist Godse, a patriot. A sad day, in the history of India's Parliament," Rahul Gandhi tweeted today.
"What she is saying -- that is the heart of the RSS and BJP. It cannot be hidden. I do not need to waste my time demanding action against that woman," Mr Gandhi told reporters.
Congress president Sonia Gandhi too condemned the controversial BJP leader's remarks. "Our party has said everything that needs to be said on the issue... Her comments are shocking," Mrs Gandhi said.
Pragya Thakur,a first-time MP from Bhopal, has been removed from the consultative committee of the defence ministry a day after she described Mahatma Gandhi's assassin Nathuram Godse as a patriot in parliament. Her comments had sparked outrage, with the opposition in Lok Sabha condemning what it called the "BJP's deplorable hate politics."
"We have decided that Pragya Singh Thakur will be removed from the consultative committee of defence, and in this session she will not be allowed to participate in BJP parliamentary party meetings," said BJP's working president JP Nadda.
"Her statement yesterday in the parliament is condemnable. BJP never supports such statement or ideology," said Mr Nadda.
Speaking in the Lok Sabha today, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said the BJP condemns any philosophy which describes Nathuram Godse as a patriot. He also said that Mahatma Gandhi's philosophy was and remains relevant today and described him as a guide (marg darshak).
Pragya Thakur, a 2008 Malegaon blasts accused, is out on bail and is facing trial for charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
She had been berated earlier this year too by her party for calling Nathuram Godse a patriot. "Nathuram Godse was a 'deshbhakt', is a 'deshbhakt' and will remain a 'deshbhakt'," she had said while campaigning for the national election.