india

Updated: Feb 25, 2019 09:12 IST

The Hindu Mahasabha on Sunday felicitated its activists who had re-enacted the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi by allegedly firing at a portrait of the Father of the Nation in Aligarh on January 30.

Thirty people who were felicitated included Hindu Mahasabha national secretary Puja Shakun Pandey, who had allegedly fired at the Mahatma’s image, in Aligarh, and her husband Ashok Pandey, the organisation’s spokesman.

Puja Shakun Pandey, Ashok Pandey and others were arrested earlier this month for the incident. They are currently out on bail.

The Mahasabha’s national president Chandra Prakash Kaushik handed over a copy of the Bhagwad Gita and a sword to Pandey at the function.

“We honoured office bearers and activists who were sent to jail by Aligarh police. We also honoured our advocates who stood with us in securing bail, which was granted on February 14. Those who stood as surety for us were also honoured, beside the seers who graced the occasion today,” said Ashok Pandey.

“We were not afraid of the police and did what we planned although the police video recorded the event today,” he added.

Kaushik said, “Hindu Mahasabha national secretary Puja Shakun Pandey has not committed any crime by re-enacting the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi but it was publicised in the wrong manner.

The case registered against office bearers and activists of Hindu Mahasabha by the Aligarh police was uncalled for,” Kaushik added.

Puja Shakun Pandey justified her act and advocated the inclusion of books on the Mahatma’s assassin Nathuram Godse in the school curriculum so that students could come to know the ‘real facts’.

Aligarh police reached the venue and video recorded the event.

Dhirendra Sharma, the incharge of Gandhi Park police station, said , “There was a gathering where those released from jail came and had food together. There was nothing objectionable and thus action was not taken.”