'Party line is my line': BJP's Sadhvi Pragya apologises for calling Godse ‘patriot’

New Delhi, May 16: Bharatiya Janata Party's Bhopal candidate Pragya Singh Thakur stirred yet another controversy on Thursday after she termed Mahatma Gandhi's assassin Nathuram Godse a patriot. After sharp criticism from her party, she later claimed that she would "follow the party's line" and the party's line was her line.

"It was my personal opinion remark. My intention was not to hurt anyone's sentiments. If I've hurt anyone I do apologise. What Gandhi Ji has done for the country cannot be forgotten. My statement has been twisted by the media," Thakur was quoted saying by ANI.

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi attacked the BJP, saying just disowning the egregious comment was not enough.

Speaking to reporters, Pragya Thakur, who is an accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, called Godse, the assassin of Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi, a deshbhakt (patriot).

"Nathuram Godse was a deshbhakt, is a deshbhakt and will remain a deshbhakt. People calling him a terrorist should instead look within, such people will be given a befitting reply in these elections," she said.

Condemning Sadhvi Pragya's Godse remarks, Uttar Pradesh media in-charge Lokendra Parashar said the party does not agree with her statement.

Calling her statement 'objectionable', Parashar said the party would summon her and seek clarification from her for her remarks. He added that the world knows that Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi was killed by Godse and hence, Sadhvi must apologise for her remarks.

A Malegaon blast case, Sadhvi Pragya is not new to controversial remarks. After being fielded by the BJP in Lok Sabha polls she had said that ATS Hemant Karkare, who was killed in action during the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, died because she had cursed him.

Spokesperson GVL Narasimha Rao said the party strongly disagrees with her statement and will ask her to tender a public apology for the same.

"BJP does not agree with this statement, we condemn it. Party will ask her for clarification, she should apologise publicly for this statement," Rao said in a statement.