BJP MP refuses to apologise for Gandhi remarks

February 04, 2020 13:12

BJP MP Anant Kumar Hegde refuses to apologise for his statement against Mahatma Gandhi.

Speaking to ANI, Hegde said, "I own my statement made on 1 Feb, 2020. I never made any reference to any political party or Mahatma Gandhi or anybody else, I was just trying to categorize freedom struggle. The speech is in public domain if anyone wants to see, it is available online and on my website.

"I never said a word against Mahatma Gandhi and Pandit Nehru. I was just discussing about our freedom struggle. All related media reports are false, I never said what is being debated over. It is an unnecessary controversy."

This comes even as the BJP has asked Hegde to issue an unconditional apology over his remark on Mahatma Gandhi that has stirred controversy, sources said.

According to sources, the BJP is upset over Anantkumar Hegde's remark on Mahatma Gandhi and has asked him for an apology. Former Union minister and BJP MP Anantkumar Hegde on Saturday had attacked Mahatma Gandhi and called the freedom struggle led by him a "drama".

Hegde also questioned as to how "such people" come to be called 'Mahatma' in India. While addressing a public event in Bengaluru on Saturday, the Lok Sabha MP from Uttara Kannada said the entire freedom movement was "staged with the consent and support of the British".

The Congress on Monday slammed the BJP leader, saying the father of the nation does not need a certificate from the "cadre of Britishers chamchas and spies. "Mahatma Gandhi does not need a certificate from cadre of Britishers 'chamchas and spies'," Congress spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill said in a tweet. "It is high time the BJP is renamed 'Nathuram Godse Party'," he added.

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