india

Updated: May 21, 2019 08:28 IST

In the backdrop of a raging debate over Nathuram Godse, who was termed as a patriot by Pragya Thakur, BJP candidate from the Bhopal Lok Sabha constituency, a local outfit calling itself Giriraj Sena celebrated Godse’s birth anniversary on Sunday in West Singhbhum’s Chakradharpur and installed a metal board at the local Pandit Hata Chowk, declaring it had been renamed Nathuram Godse Chowk.

The group garlanded a photo of Godse and declared him to be a true patriot, while declaring they had equal respect for both Gandhi and Godse.

“Had Godse not killed Gandhiji, the country would have witnessed further division. It is the Congress which falsifies history to malign revolutionary patriots like Godse, who loved loved his country and wanted it undivided. Even Gandhi had said India would be partitioned over his dead body but he eventually did nothing to stop it,” one of the members of Giriraj Sena said, while requesting anonymity.

Asked about the incident, West Singhbhum’s deputy commissioner Arava Rajkamal said, “I have sought a report from the Chakradharpur sub-divisional officer. As per preliminary reports, the SDO has removed the banner celebrating Nathuram Godse’s birth anniversary, but there was no information related to installation of any metal board and renaming of any chowk. We will take appropriate action after getting the report.”

Chakradhapur SDO Pradeep Prasad said they have removed the banner which was installed as part of Godse’s birth anniversary celebrations.

“I had asked the Chakradharpur block development officer (BDO) and officer-in-charge of Chakradharpur police station to visit the area. There was no dispute or any clash,” said Prasad.

However, both BDO Ram Narayan Singh and Chakradharpur officer-in-charge Gopinath Tiwari conceded that a metal board was installed even as they tried to convince members of the Giriraj Sena to take it down.

According to Tiwari, on being told that no such board could be erected without prior permission from the municipal authorities, Giriraj Sena members said they would take permission later, but refused to pull down the metal board they had already installed on the road.

Chaibasa municipality executive officer (EO) Abhay Kumar Jha said he had not received any written request related to setting up of any metal board or renaming of any chowk in the town and had not given anyone permission to do so.