New Delhi: According to Union minister Giriraj Singh, the man who assassinated Mahatma Gandhi was a saput (Hindi for ‘worthy son’) of India.He was responding to a series of remarks made by All-India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen president Asaduddin Owaisi and Maharashtra deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on a recent spate of violence that took place in the latter’s state.“If he [Nathuram Godse] was the killer of Gandhi, he [Godse] was also a saput of India. He was born in India. He was not an invader like Babur and Aurangzeb,” Hindustan Times quoted Singh as saying in Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada town.He added that those who feel happy to call themselves the sons of Babur and Aurangzeb cannot be true sons of India.Maharashtra’s Kolhapur and Ahmednagar cities were tense on Thursday, June 8, after a WhatsApp status mentioning Tipu Sultan was circulated and a procession carried a photo of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb.Also Read: Fadnavis Blames ‘People of a Particular Community’ for Creating ‘Riot-Like Situation’ in MaharashtraFadnavis blamed the tensions on “people of a particular community”.“Aurangzeb’s offspring have suddenly taken birth in some districts in Maharashtra, who display his photo and feature him in their WhatsApp statues. Malice has been created in society because of this,” he added.Owaisi objected to Fadnavis’ comments and asked him to name the offspring of Godse. Singh was responding to this remark.But Singh is not the first person to commend Godse this week. BJP leader and former Uttarakhand chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat said on Wednesday, June 7 that Godse was an Indian patriot.“Gandhi ji was killed, that is a different issue. But as far as I have understood and read Godse, he too was a patriot. We do not agree with the killing of Gandhi ji,” he said according to the Indian Express.
