BHOPAL: The induction of Hindu Mahasabha member Babulal Chaurasia in the Congress party in the presence of Kamal Nath has divided the party. The former Congress state chief, Arun Yadav, has issued an open statement asking if the Congress would also allow Pragya Thakur to join the Congress if she wanted to do so.
Yadav found support in senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh, who echoed the same sentiment on Friday, saying ‘Bapu hum sharminda hai, apke qatil zinda hai.’ Singh clarified that ‘apke qatil’ was in reference to the killers of Gandhi’s ideology. When Digvijaya Singh was asked about the Hindu Mahasabha member joining the Congress, he replied, “Who is Chaurasia?”
Earlier, Arun Yadav had openly opposed the induction of Godse admirer Chaursaia. First, he tweeted, ‘Bapu hum sharminda hai.’ Later, Yadav tweeted a written statement and a video message saying that induction of admirers of Godse, who had assassinated Gandhi, could not be tolerated. “And this isn’t only my view — it’s the sentiment of lakhs of Congress workers who have been fighting against those views,” Yadav said.
“I don’t fight verbal battles against RSS ideology. Rather, I take to the streets without thinking of any loss or benefit. I hoisted the Indian Flag at the Indore RSS office which never did so,” wrote Yadav.
When most of the Congress workers believe that Godse was the first terrorist of independent India, why should someone who believes in him be inducted into the party? If the same conditions apply, will MP Pragya Thakur, who faces charges of terrorism and one who called Godse a patriot, be inducted if she shows interest?” asked Yadav. Yadav said he was ready to face any kind of loss or go to any extent to oppose the decision of inducting a ‘Godse admirer’.
Senior Congress leaders are now also bringing in a reference to Gulab Singh Kirar, a Vyapam accused, who was inducted into the party before the Assembly elections (and that, too, in Gwalior). This decision may also backfire in the same way, feel Congress workers.
