New Delhi: BJP MP Anantkumar Hegde stood by the controversial remarks he made about Mahatma Gandhi and the Indian freedom struggle while claiming that he had never mentioned Gandhi in his address.
Speaking to ANI, Hegde said, “Whatever is being shown in the media is a lie. I stand by my statement. I never made any reference to any political party or Gandhi.”
“If I have said even one word on Gandhi or (Jawaharlal) Nehru or any freedom fighter, then show it to me,” he added.
It can be recalled that the lawmaker from Uttara Kannada had referred to the freedom movement, led by Mahatma Gandhi, as a “big drama” that was staged with the “consent and support of the British”. Soon after reports of the incident surfaced, the BJP top brass asked him to apologise and censured him. Later, an IANS report also claimed that Prime Minister Modi was also “very upset” with Hegde amid suggestions that he may be temporarily suspended from attending the party’s parliamentary meeting.
On Tuesday, February 4, Hegde further clarified and said, “That programme was about Savarkar. With due respect of all our freedom fighters, I was just discussing our freedom struggle, there is no confusion or any derogatory comment on freedom struggle or fighters. Unnecessary nuisance has been created.”
(with inputs from ANI)
