Gaurav Gogoi said many in BJP support Pragya Thakur (File)
Many members of the ruling BJP "silently" support its MP Pragya Thakur over her remark in which she called Mahatma Gandhi's assassin Nathuram Godse a patriot, Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi claimed on Friday, a day after her party censured her for the comment that has kicked up a massive controversy. Mr Gogoi also alleged Union Minister Prahlad Singh Patel had said inside parliament earlier this year that "worshipping Nathuram Godse is acceptable".
"Many within BJP silently support MP Pragya Thakur. Earlier this year BJP Union Cultural Minister Prahlad Singh Patel told me inside Parliament that worshiping Nathuram Godse is acceptable. Sharing the video in the link," Mr Gogoi tweeted.
During a Lok Sabha debate in August, the Minister was interrupted by Mr Gogoi, who accused him of worshipping Godse.
"Yes, we do. Yes, we do. There is not objection to this," the Minister replied.
Amid pressure from the opposition, the BJP had Pragya Singh Thakur removed from the consultative committee of the defence ministry on Thursday and banned her from attending parliamentary meetings.
"Not just calling Godse a deshbhakt (patriot), but we condemn even such thinking. Mahatma Gandhi's ideology is relevant now as much as it was before," Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had said in Lok Sabha on Thursday.
Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, in a scathing attack, had said,"Terrorist Pragya calls terrorist Godse, a patriot. A sad day in the history of India's parliament."
Pragya Thakur, an accused in 2008 Malegaon blast case, referred to Mr Gandhi's remark and said she was called a terrorist even though no charge had been proved against her in courts.
She apologised twice in parliament today, but maintained she didn't call Godse a patriot.
"I didn't call (Mahatma Gandhi's assassin) Nathuram Godse a patriot. I apologise if sentiments are hurt," Pragya Thakur said in Lok Sabha