If Godse a patriot, is Mahatma Gandhi anti-national, asks Opposition

New Delhi, May 16: The Opposition on Thursday hit back Pragya Singh Thakur, the BJP's Lok Sabha candidate from Bhopal, for terming Nathuram Godse, who assassinated Mahatma Gandhi, a "patriot".

Thakur said, "Nathuram Godse was a desh bhakt (patriot) and will remain so. People calling him a terrorist should introspect. They will be given a befitting reply in these elections".

Congress leader Digvijaya Singh, hit out at Thakur and demanded that she tender an apologise. Singh went one step further, demanding an apology from Narendra Modi, Amit Shah and the BJP's Madhya Pradesh unit.

Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala described this a part of BJP's conspiracy to scorn and insult the principles laid down by Mahatma Gandhi.

National Conference's Omar Abdullah also slammed the comment saying, "If the killer of the father of the nation is a patriot does that make Mahatma Gandhi anti-national?"

The Madhya Pradesh BJP, however, distanced itself from the statement.

"The BJP does not agree with her statement. The party will talk to her (and ask) under which circumstances she gave the statement. One who killed Mahatma Gandhi can't be a deshbhakt," state BJP media cell in-charge Lokendra Parashar.