Nathuram Godse is a patriot, Shiv Sena says in 'Saamna'

The Shiv Sena on Monday supported the mention of Nathuram Godse, the man who killed Mahatma Gandhi, in a souvenir published during the 84th Marathi Sahitya Sammelan.

At the same time, the party asked Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) legislator Jitendra Avhad if he wanted the photo of Ishrat Jahan, a teenager killed in a police encounter in Ahmedabad in 2004, to be printed there instead. Jahan was a 19-year-old girl who, the police claimed, was an Islamist terrorist. The encounter was later found to have been staged.

Avhad had earlier objected to Godse’s mention in the souvenir. He had even burnt the particular page at the venue of the literary festival, following which the organisers had to extend an apology. He had supported Jahan’s family after the encounter, claiming that she was innocent.

“Those who hate Nathuram are in love with Ishrat. Do they want Ishrat’s photo to be published in the souvenir instead of that of Nathuram?” asked Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamna’s editorial on Monday.

The editorial also supported Godse, saying he took tremendous pride in Swadesh and Hindutva. “He always stood for united India. Is it anti-national to harbour such feelings? He was a real patriot,” said the editorial.

Avhad said the Sena wanted to do politics on the issue of Hindutva. “It wants its stand to be more militant than that of the BJP. The RSS voter is veering towards Raj Thackeray, and the Sena wants to keep them with itself. This is why they are writing such provocative articles,” said Avhad.