Z. Lohe
[dropcap]I[/dropcap]n pursuance of BJP’s election Manifesto of 2014, its MP Sakshi Maharaj praised Nathuram Godse as national patriot who assassinated Mahatma Gandhi on 30th January 1948. The Hindu Mahasabha calls Nathuram as ‘martyr’. The frontal organisations of BJP are contemplating to install the statue of the murderer of the Father of the Nation. Madan Acharya, the national general secretary of Hindu Mahasabha, despite warning from UP Govt., insisted that Nathuram’s statue will be erected ‘in different parts of the country, including Meerut’. He said that the same ‘statue would be installed at Ambala where Godse was executed’. The Hindu Mahasabha had already organised a ‘bhumi pujan’ on 24.12.2014 in order to install Godse’s statue and a temple at Meerut. The Hindu Mahasabha is reportedly preparing to have a grand ‘shourya diwas’ meaning bravery commemoration, I hope my query on the translation is correct, in not less than 16 States in the country. All these activities have the tacit support of the Union Government.
The PM Modi refused to give statement on proselytization with the lame excuse that such is the responsibility of the concerned State Govt. and not of the Union Govt. I can think of one reason for which the PM could not give statement on the debate on conversion was, as PM of India, he cannot afford to speak against the spirit of secularism enshrined in Art 25 as long as it is not amended. Had PM become vocal for secularism, it would checkmate him from toeing the drawn line of RSS and rather disabled him from issuing directive on declaration of 25th December as working day. Similarly, when ‘shourya diwas’ is observed widely by Hinduism activists on January 30, 2015, the Union Govt. may adopt the same posture of silent spectatorship.The bravery commemoration or ‘shourya diwas’ on the 30th January 2015 by Hinduism activists under the aegis of Hindu Mahasabha means that the RSS cadre Nathuram Godse had bravely and sacrificially annihilated Mahatma Gandhi as desired. The barbarous and dastardly act of Godse who mercilessly murdered the frail and feeble (due to age), innocent and unprotected Father of the Nation India on 30th January 1948 is going to be hailed by BJP and its frontal organisations. If Hinduism activists are determined to venerate the killer of Gandhiji, either the date of his birth or of his execution would have been more appropriate. The worst is, how they are going to venerate their ‘patriot’ and ‘martyr’ Nathuram Godse on the date on which the Father of the Nation was cold bloodedly murdered. This is too much of a rubbing so much salt to the injury. This indeed deeply hurts the sentiment of all the right thinking citizens of India. This is a sheer challenge to the principle of Unity in Diversity.
So the questions are: Is BJP contemplating to discard Mahatma Gandhiji from the status of Father of the Nation? Is BJP trying to replace Mahatma Gandhiji with their ‘patriot’ and ‘martyr’ Nathuram Godse as the Father of the Nation? Is BJP willing to do away with Father of the Nation? Having inflicted so much insult to the name of Gandhiji, will BJP Govt. continue observe the 2nd October with solemn reverence as before or will it face the same fate as Christmas?
The questions to ourselves are: Do we agree with Hindu Mahasabha that assassination of Gandhiji was justified? No. Do we agree with Hindu Mahasabha for the veneration given to the murderer Nathuram Godse? Never.
Mahatma Gandhiji was the undisputed and unmatched leader of nonviolence and peace. He is not only recognized and respected by people of India but by people across the globe. Now, what message is being sent to other nations when India is showering much venerations with the titles of ‘patriot’ and ‘martyr’ to a murderer of no other than the Father of the Nation? What message is being passed onto our children when a killer is being so much praised and going to be honoured nationwide?
