The Congress CM was speaking on the concluding day of the two-day special Assembly session convened to mark the 150th birth anniversary of Gandhi
Raipur: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel on Thursday said Hindutva ideologue Vinayak Damodar Savarkar was part of the conspiracy Mahatma Gandhi assassination.
Baghel said there was enough evidence to show that Gandhi’s assassin Nathuram Godse was inspired by Savarkar.
The Father of the Nation advocated non-violence, Savarkar stood for violence. He said that Gandhi’s fight against provocative and anarchic nationalism needed to be carry forwarded in order to maintain communal harmony in the society said Baghel
“In 1909, on the invitation of Vinayak Damodar Savarkar’s associates, Gandhi ji went to London for an event. In that event, both cited examples of epic Ramayana. “Gandhi had cited the lines which give a message of non-violence and sacrifice, while Savarkar had mentioned that only violence is the way to destroy unrighteousness, said Baghel.
The Congress CM was speaking on the concluding day of the two-day special Assembly session convened to mark the 150th birth anniversary of Gandhi.
“Gandhi talks about non-violence while Savarkar about violence. It is a fact that Gandhi was not afraid of death while it is evident from history that Savarkar was not afraid of attacking while in hiding. Gandhi is veer (brave) for us (Congress), while Savarkar is for you (BJP), he said.
“There was enough evidence to prove that Godse was a disciple of Savarkar, who hatched a conspiracy to kill Gandhi, he claimed…what was the reason that Godse killed Gandhi.
“When Gandhi got assassinated there was an announcement on the radio that a mentally unstable man killed him.
“He was not mentally unstable rather he was representing an ideology Godse was trained as a human bomb to kill Gandhi. He was trained by an ideology. Today the battle between two ideologies,”.
The cultural nationalism promoted by Gandhi has been effective in unifying the country, while nowadays a “provocative” form of nationalism is prevailing in the country which speaks about crushing its opposition.
“However, there is another nationalism which is provocative and dangerous. In that nationalism, there is no respect for life. They only know one language and act.
“If you disagree with them, then you will be crushed and killed. This nationalism does not have its roots in this country, but it is imported. This nationalism has its roots in Germany and influenced by Mussolini in Italy,” he added by citing an example.
“Today this House takes the pledge to take forward Gandhi’s fight against provocative nationalism,”. During their speeches, BJP MLAs raised objection over Baghels claims that Savarkar was part of Gandhi’s murder conspiracy and demanded that these lines be expunged from House record.
Earlier, taking part in the discussion, Leader of Opposition Dharamlal Kaushik slammed previous Congress governments for imposing Emergency in 1975 and for 1984 anti-Sikh riots, and said those who got power in the name of Gandhi Ji, they themselves ignored his principles and ideals of it.
“Congress is nationalist and belief in the Indian constitution and Gandhi. But those who follow other ideologies and got power in the name of Gandhi Ji destroyed Gandhian principles during their 60-year-rule, the BJP leader said without naming Congress.
Many times Congress Chief Sonia Gandhi and senior leader of Congress party have also quoted in there speech the war is between two ideologies.
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