Godse will be remembered as curse upon India: Goa Governor Sreedharan Pillai
Governor Pillai, however, clarified that the RSS should not be held responsible for Mahatma Gandhi's assassination and cited the Kapur Commission to support his argument. The Kapur Commission, established in 1966, conducted an inquiry into the conspiracy behind Gandhi's murder.
FollowGoa Governor and former Kerala Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president, PS Sreedharan Pillai, made a significant statement regarding Nathuram Godse, expressing his disapproval of Godse's actions and character. During a speech while discussing Veliyam Rajeev's new book 'Gandhi vs Godse' in Kollam, Pillai emphasized the merits of Gandhian philosophy and briefly mentioned Godse, the Hindu extremist responsible for the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi on January 30, 1948.
Godse, a member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Hindu Mahasabha, received criticism from Governor Pillai. "Godse should not have done that, whatever the reason," he stated during his address.
In a concluding note, Pillai made a damning assessment of Godse. He expressed reverence for Gandhiji's memory, stating, "I bow before the memory of Gandhiji. Gandhiji's ideology will continue to guide humanity as long as the world exists. I would also like to add that Godse will be remembered as a curse upon this land," Pillai asserted.
This statement contrasts starkly with the viewpoints expressed by some other BJP leaders, notably Pragya Thakur, a Member of Parliament from the BJP who faced controversy for hailing Godse as a 'deshbhakt' (patriot) during a debate in the Lok Sabha in 2019.
Governor Pillai clarified that the RSS should not be held responsible for Gandhi's assassination and cited the Kapur Commission to support his argument. The Kapur Commission, established in 1966, conducted an inquiry into the conspiracy behind Gandhi's murder. According to Pillai, the Commission's report, tabled in Parliament by then-Prime Minister Morarji Desai, concluded that the RSS had no involvement in Gandhi's assassination.
Pillai, a prolific author with over 120 books to his name, served as the president of the BJP in Kerala twice, first during the period of 2003-2006 and later in 2018-2019, marked by protests over the Sabarimala issue. During his tenure, he faced legal repercussions for controversial statements, including remarks about the court verdict allowing women of menstruating age to enter the Sabarimala temple and a problematic statement about Muslims.
