Kapil Sibal counters Giriraj Singh's praise of Godse as ‘saput’

Union minister Giriraj Singh on Friday claimed Nathuram Godse as ‘saput’ (good son) of India because he was born here, unlike the Mughals.

Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal Saturday countered Union minister Giriraj Singh’s claim that Nathuram Godse - the assassin of Mahatma Gandhi – was a “saput” (good son) of India. A day before, Singh backed his claim, citing the reason that Godse was born in India unlike the Mughal rulers Babar and Aurangzeb who were invaders. To this, Sibal drew a comparison, saying that Godse was an assassin, just born in India, unlike the Mughals.

Senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal. (PTI file)

Sibal, in a tweet earlier today, said, “...Assassin, born in India, unlike the Mughals. By this statement, many may not call you a ‘worthy son’ of India. Assassins cannot be distinguished by their origin! Hope the PM (Narendra Modi) and Amit Shah condemn this statement.”

Later speaking to news agency ANI, Sibal said the statement is basically glorifying murderers. “His statement reflects whoever, if born in India, kills someone, they are ‘saput’.…'Saput’ means a good son...was Godse a good son of India?” he asked. “Being a Union minister, his views are reflecting those of the Modi government…does PM Modi, Amit Shah agree?,” he added, mentioning his tweet, calling for condemnation of Singh’s statement by the party's top brass.

Sibal further said that he has doubts though, that (condemnation) would ever happen. “BJP did not participate in the freedom struggle…RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) was there…but BJP follows the ideology of the right wing organisation…RSS helped Britishers, did not believe in Gandhi’s philosophy…so this mentality (of the BJP) stems from the same beliefs and reflects in their politics,” he said.

Singh’s comment on Kolhapur violence

Singh’s statement came while he was on a visit to the Bastar region in Bihar to meet party workers. Speaking to reporters there, he said “those who feel happy in calling themselves children of Babar and Aurangzeb cannot be true sons of mother India" and praised Godse.

His statement was a response to AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi who traded barbs with Maharashtra’s deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis over the Kolhapur violence that happened in the state last week. A protest by Hindu organisations at Shivaji Chowk in Kolhapur, over some social media posts allegedly glorifying Tipu Sultan and Aurangzeb, turned ugly. Following the conclusion of the rally, some miscreants started pelting stones at homes and business establishments owned by the Muslim community, turning the protests violent.

Fadnavis, while appealing for peace, had defended the aggression saying “there is bound to be a reaction if Aurangzeb is glorified.” “Suddenly, in some districts of Maharashtra, aulad (progenies) of Aurangzeb took birth," he said.

To this, Owaisi asked “expert” Fadnavis to “call out the offsprings” of Godse. This followed the Bihar BJP leader’s comments that “If he (Godse) was the killer of Gandhi, he (Godse) was also a ‘saput’ of India. He was born in India. He was not an invader like Babar and Aurangzeb.”