Congress had demanded an unconditional apology from the BJP MP.
"I take back my words and respect the house. If some people were hurt, then I regret it. The opposition is raising non-issues," Sakshi Maharaj said.
He also said. "Gandhi was killed back then by Godse but I believe Gandhi was killed in 1984 when Sikhs were killed."
READ ALSO: BJP MP Sakshi Maharaj calls Nathuram Godse a patriot, retracts
The BJP was left red-faced on Thursday when TV channels showed BJP MP from Unnao Sakshi Maharaj as saying, "I believe Nathuram Godse was also a nationalist and Mahatma Gandhiji also did a lot for the nation. Godse was an aggrieved person. He may have done something by mistake but was not an anti- national. He was a patriot."
As the statement erupted into a controversy with the matter being raised in Rajya Sabha, an embarrassed BJP forced Maharaj to retract his statement. Maharaj later on Thursday said, "I do not consider him a rashtra bhakta (patriot). I might have said something by mistake."
The matter came as an embarrassment to BJP more so because PM Narendra Modi has been mentioning Mahatma Gandhi in almost every speech to the point of idolizing him. So much so that that he has been accused of trying to appropriate Mahatma Gandhi's legacy from Congress.
BJP MP Sakshi Maharaj.
Not surprisingly, Congress was most upset about Maharaj's utterings. Rajya Sabha was briefly adjourned twice on Thursday as Congress member Husain Dalwai raised the celebration of Godse's death anniversary as 'shaurya divas' in Maharashtra. He said the function was even attended by two former MLAs.
"I have written to Maharashtra chief minister demanding action against those who took part in it," Dalwai said, adding that even if BJP was not involved, its mentor RSS took part.
http://ift.tt/1nx69Ah Maharaj,Nathuram Godse
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