Won't forgive Pragya Thakur for insulting Mahatma Gandhi: PM Narendra Modi

New Delhi : Reacting to a huge controversy over Pragya Thakur glorifying the Mahatma Gandhi's assassin Nathuram Godse, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that he will never be able to forgive her for insulting the father of the nation.

The BJP tweeted PM Modi as saying in an interview to News24 Today: "The comments on Gandhi and Godse are deplorable, disgusting and are not language fit for civilised society. Those who say such things should think 100 times. It is a different issue that they have apologized, but I will not be able to forgive them from my heart."

On Thursday, Pragya Thakur had said: "Nathuram Godse was a deshbhakt (patriot), is a 'deshbhakt' and will remain a 'deshbhakt'. People calling him a terrorist should instead look within, such people will be given a fitting reply in the election." 

Pragya Thakur, contesting the national election from Bhopal, had earlier received strong endorsement from PM Modi when the opposition had attacked the BJP for fielding the Malegaon blast accused. Her candidature was "a symbolic answer to all those who falsely labelled the rich Hindu civilization as terrorist", he had said last month.

Pragya Thakur had tweeted a clear apology on Thursday night. She said, "I apologise to the people of the country for my statements on Nathuram Godse. My statement was absolutely wrong. I have huge respect for the father of the nation, Mahatma Gandhi."

Pragya Thakur, Union Minister Anant Kumar Hegde and lawmaker Nalin Kumar Kateel have also been asked for an explanation within 10 days, BJP president Amit Shah said in a series of tweets.