The BJP on Friday suspended its Madhya Pradesh spokesperson Anil Saumitra from its primary membership for calling Mahatma Gandhi the “father of the nation of Pakistan”.
In a Facebook post earlier in the day, Saumitra wrote:”Mahatma Gandhi was the father of the nation but of Pakistan. India hashad crores of sons like him, some worthy, some unworthy.”
Quizzed about the post, Saumitra told reporters:”Nobody known or unknown has the honour of being the father of India. SoMahatma Gandhi could be the father of the nation but of Pakistan. Everyone isproud to be the son of the Indian motherland.”
Saumitra has not deleted his post.
“No one is 24X7 spokesperson of the party. His viewsare not always the views of the party,” he said.
Saumitra’s remark came a day after the BJP LokSabhacandidate from Bhopal, Pragya Singh Thakur, told reporters during a road showin Agar-Malwa: “NathuramGodse was a patriot, is a patriot and will remaina patriot. People calling him a terrorist should instead look within. Suchpeople will be given a befitting reply in these elections.”
She later apologized for her “personal remarks”.
“I respect Mahatma Gandhi, his contribution to thecountry cannot be forgotten. If my statement has hurt anyone, I apologize forit. My intention was not to hurt anyone, I was misquoted,” she said.
Pragya Thakur also called off her election roadshow inBurhanpur in the KhandwaLokSabha constituency as she was unwell.
Her office staff would not disclose her location. Thecampaign ended for the last of eight seats in the Nimar-Malwa region on Friday.
BJP sources admitted that Pragya Thakur had to be pulled outof the election campaign to spare the party embarrassment in the Assemblysegments of the constituencies that have voted for the Congress.
The party has also directed its spokespersons to avoid anyarguments on the issue.
Hitesh Vajpayee, another senior spokesperson and mediacoordinator for Pragya Thakur, avoided speaking on the issue.
“I have nothing to say on the subject,” he saidwhen nudged on the possible engagements of Pragya Thakur.
But the BJP is avoiding any firm action against the hotheadsapparently under pressure from the RSS. But the BJP has to humour the moderatesat it holds seven of the eight seats that are going to polls on Sunday.
Prime Minister NarendraModi said on Friday that PragyaThakur may have apologized for her comments “but I will not be able toable to forgive her”.BJP President Amit Shah distanced the BJP fromPragya Thakur’s remarks and said she and two MPs had similar statements intheir personal capacity.