Gandhinagar, March 8
The opposition Congress on Tuesday challenged the ruling BJP in Gujarat Assembly to bring in a proposal to declare Nathuram Godse as nation's "first terrorist" and an "anti-national", if they truly believed in Mahatma Gandhi.
Speaking at the motion of Thanks on the Governor's address brought in by a BJP legislator, the Congress MLA from Dasada Naushad Solanki said that the BJP would not dare to show such courage and take up the challenge.
"Yesterday, Education Minister Jitu Vaghani was challenging the Congress, but today I challenge the BJP that if they truly believe in Gandhiji by truth, words and heart and if you have the courage, then bring in a proposal in this house, to declare (the murderer of Gandhi) Nathuram Godse as nation's first terrorist and an anti-national. You (BJP) don't have the guts to accept the truth and now will you teach us nationalism? When your own MPs are considering Godse as a Deshbhakt, how will you now teach us Desh Bhakti?" he asked.
"The institution which you (BJP) considered as your parent, it didn't even accept the country's pride Tricolour. When Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel relaxed the prohibition on the RSS on July 11, 1949, he had put in a condition of 'Explicit Acceptance of the National Flag' in it. Why did he have to put in such a clear and specific condition to accept the national flag? And that same year, the RSS had to hoist the Tricolour at their Nagpur headquarters on January 26. But after Sardar's death, you forgot Sardar and for 52 years didn't hoist the Tricolour. Aren't you forgetting that for 52 years your people insulted the national flag?
The challenge by Solanki, however, did not evoke any response from the ruling party members.
ians
