New Delhi: Close on the heels of her controversial statement referring Mahatma Gandhi’s assassin Nathuram Godse as a ‘Patriot’ on the floor of the Lok Sabha, controversial BJP MP Pragya Thakur has been axed from the parliamentary consultative committee of defence, on Thursday.
The Bhopal lawmaker, who is also accused in the Malegaon blasts had made the statement glorifying Godse on Wednesday and the BJP in response to the same also barred her from attending its parliamentary meetings during the winter session.
Thakur had made the remark as a response to DMK member A Raja’s narration of a statement by Nathuram Godse before a court on why he killed Mahatma Gandhi.
After this episode, Speaker Om Birla said that only Raja’s speech during the discussion on the Special Protection Group (Amendment) Bill will go on record. Later, the Lok Sabha secretariat issued an official communication that Thakur’s remarks are “non-recorded”.
Her statement evoked sharp criticism from various quarters and the BJP too has distanced itself from her comment. Speaking on the matter, BJP Working President JP Nadda condemned Thakur’s statements and said that the party does not support or endorse her views.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said he doesn’t want to “waste time” demanding action against her. “What she is saying, that is the heart of the RSS & BJP, what can I say? It cannot be hidden. I don’t need to waste my time demanding action against that woman.”
It may be recalled that her appointment to the Committee too had stoked a controversy. The 21-member committee headed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also has opposition leaders Farooq Abdullah, TMC’s Sougata Roy, DMK’s A. Raja and NCP supremo Sharad Pawar.
This is not the first time that Thakur has made the same statement. Even earlier she had landed in controversy for calling Godse a patriot and then the BJP had issued a show cause notice to her.
Thakur had also stirred controversy by saying that the then Mumbai ATS chief Hemant Karkare had died during the 26/11 terror attack because of her “curse”.
