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28 Dec, 2014

Modi govt must stop the celebration of Gandhi’s killer – Hindustan Times

The fruits of the development that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has promised will take some time to kick in, but we have reasons to be concerned about the deteriorating social climate in the meanwhile. Abusive language and behaviour by BJP leaders, the VHP’s ghar wapsi conversions, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s declaration that India is a Hindu Rashtra have all vitiated the atmosphere and sharpened the awareness of communal identities and boundaries. But it doesn’t stop here.

The Hindu Mahasabha has announced that it will install a statue of Mahatma Gandhi’s assassin, Nathuram Godse, in Meerut on January 30. What is stunning about this development is that the hero worship of Godse is no longer done behind closed doors. It is now a point of view that is being defended in the public realm.

Honouring Godse with a statue is so shocking that it can paralyse people from even constructing an argument to counter the move. But that is exactly the reaction the extreme Right wants. Idolising Godse is to justify that anyone is entitled to use violence to settle political differences.

Read the rest: Modi govt must stop the celebration of Godse – Hindustan Times.