Nathuram Godse's niece objects to installation of statues - The Economic Times
By Vasudha Venugopal, ET Bureau | 2 Jan, 2015, 04.11AM IST
New Delhi: As the Hindu Mahasabha prepares to install statues of Nathuram Godse across the country, his niece has objected to the exercise, saying it makes Mahatma Gandhi's assassin look bad. "The government should look at more important issues, not about statues. All this is making Godse look like a sly assassin or a terrorist, which he is not," Himani Savarkar told ET. She is, incidentally, married to the nephew of VD Savarkar, who was himself an accused in the January 30, 1948,assassination and subsequently acquitted.
Himani, 67, is the daughter of Gopal Godse, the youngest brother of the assassin. Her father served 18 years in prison for abetment. She said the statue controversy was making people disrespect Nathuram Godse, who was executed for the killing. "He was a patriot who wanted to be punished for whatever he had done, not a mad person or a supari killer," she said. "His thoughts and reasons for killing Gandhi can change the way history is taught in the country. They need to be understood properly by the nation, but not by controversies like this."
Himani heads Abhinav Bharat, a Hindu right-wing group based in Pune that has been accused of involvement in a bomb attack in Maharashtra. She said the Congress party had repeatedly used Godse to tarnish Brahmins.
"It is nothing but a conspiracy by Congress to defame the Brahmins of the country. None of the other assassins, including that of Indira Gandhi or Rajiv Gandhi, are politically used like this. This only proves that the Congress has always targeted Godse because he was a Brahmin and they want to show all Brahmins in poor light," she said.
Criticising the attempts made by opposition parties to stall parliament over the Godse controversy, she said, "Dragging the government into issues such as this which are people's private matter is not right.
The government has more important problems to resolve. There are people who have been worshipping Godse for many years and they have the freedom to do so in a democracy."
Himani has been critical of both BJP and Congress over many issues, including dealing with terrorists. She's confident Prime Minister Narendra Modi will ensure Godse gets the respect he deserves.
"A Hindu ideologue like Savarkar has got his due only after Modi came to power. He was the first to commemorate his birthday. The Congress cannot find any other fault with his government and hence is looking at cheap tricks like using Godse," she added.
