india

Updated: Nov 16, 2019 14:19 IST

The Congress government in Madhya Pradesh has ordered an inquiry against the members of Hindu Mahasabha for performing pooja on the 70th anniversary of the execution of Nathuram Godse, the assassin of Mahatma Gandhi, on Friday, the state’s law minister PC Sharma said Saturday.

“Gwalior police has been asked to inquire the matter and register FIR against all the members who performed pooja of Godse because it is an anti-national act,” Sharma said.

Gwalior additional superintendent of police Satendra Tomar said the matter was being investigated and case would be registered after the investigation.

Hindu Mahasabha members on Friday morning organised a programme at its Gwalior office to mark the 70th anniversary of the execution of Godse and his collaborator Narayan Apte. Both were hanged to death in Ambala jail on November 15, 1949.

They also demanded Godse’s trial be included in school syllabus in Madhya Pradesh. The members of Mahasabha assembled at its office and performed a pooja and aarti after garlanding the picture of Godse and Apte.

It is the same office where the Mahasabha workers had installed a statue of Godse in 2017 but after a protest from the Congress, then in Opposition, the Gwalior district administration had seized the statue and shifted it from there.

Hindu Mahasabha national vice-president Jaiveer Bharadwaj said, “We have submitted a memorandum to the district administration, addressed to chief minister Madhya Pradesh Kamal Nath with a demand that trial of Godse particularly the statements he made during the trial be included in the school syllabus in Madhya Pradesh.”

Bharadwaj also warned the government not to harass its members. “According to constitution of India, anybody can perform any pooja at his private place. If they take any action against us and harass our members, we will move to the court. We will also hold a protest against the Congress across the nation.”

The Congress party had condemned Friday’s function for glorifying violence.

“The event glorified violence. This is condemnable. These people don’t believe in the Indian Constitution as Godse himself had filed a mercy petition before the British Queen despite the country having a Supreme Court,” PTI quoted vice president of state Congress Media Cell, Bhupendra Gupta as saying.