BJP asks govt to withdraw Padmashree from publisher of book

New Delhi, Mar 9 (UNI) Taking strong exception to the vulgar depiction of Hindu gods and goddesses in a book, the BJP today asked the Government to withdraw the Padmashree conferred upon its missionary-turned-publisher '' ironically'' during the NDA government regime.

Party Spokesman Vijay Kumar Malhotra said the Hindi book titled 'Hakeekat', authored by one Mr M G Mathews and published by Mr M A Thomas of 'Truths and Life Publication' of Kerala, was distributed initially in Kota in Rajasthan and now all over the country.

The issue had figured in the Lok Sabha during 'Zero Hour' where the Communist Parties had lent him overt support in the House while the Congress members looked on without protesting against offending writings, he said.

When a Danish cartoon offending the Prophet Mohammad was the raging issue, the BJP had condemned it unequivocally and the person who had reprinted the cartoon in India had been put behind the bars and there had been public protests. But when Hindus and their gods and epic characters were insulted the pseudo-secular parties were doing nothing, let alone condemn the offending behaviours towards people's sentiments, he said.

Withdrawing the Padmashree could be an appropriate step to send right signals and nobody should feel that they can get away insulting the majority sentiments, he asserted.

Asked why the NDA Government had given Padmashree to such people, Mr Malhotra said the book had not been published at that point of time.

He said the Government should ban the book and arrest the culprits, he demanded.

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