MP Congress Inducts ‘Godse Supporter’ Babulal Chaurasia in Party

Babulal Chaurasia in the past has been well documented in several Godse events

Madhya Pradesh Congress tweeted a photograph welcoming Babulal Chaurasia in the party on Wednesday.

Photo Courtesy: Screenshot/Twitter

Congress has welcomed former municipal corporator Babulal Chaurasia on Wednesday, 24 February, to join its party in Madhya Pradesh ahead of the upcoming civil polls.

He was inducted in the party in the presence of former chief minister, now Congress chief Kamal Nath, and Gwalior MLA Praveen Pathak at the party headquarters in Bhopal.

Chaurasia’s drafting has been a controversial decision as on 13 November, 2020, he observed Nathuram Godse’s 70th death anniversary with other activists, and was part of the The Hindu Mahasabha who demanded Godse’s statement in court, during the Mahatma Gandhi assassination trial, be included as part of the school syllabus.

The Congress party had condemned the event strongly last year adding that the event “glorified violence”.

On Wednesday, Madhya Pradesh Congress tweeted a photograph welcoming the Hindu Mahasabha leader in the party.

Madhya Pradesh Congress tweeted a photograph welcoming the Hindu Mahasabha leader in the party on Wednesday.Photo Courtesy: Screenshot/Twitter

Chaurasia in the past has been well-documented in several Godse events. He had also declared last year that he would forward Godse’s statement to one lakh people. When questioned by the media about his past history of being a Godse follower, Chaurasia said, “I didn’t know at that time what it was all about. I was pushed to the forefront of such events.” He added that he had no association for the past two years.

When asked about joining the party, Chaurasia told reporters that he has been “associated with the Congress in the past, so it is like returning to the family”. Chaurasia was earlier part of Congress before quitting the party to go on to win the civil polls as part of Hindu Mahasabha, reported NDTV.

Congress MLA from Gwalior, Praveen Pathak defended the party’s decision, saying that the Gandhis’ have forgiven Rajiv Gandhi’s killer as well. He added, “They (Gandhis) are so large-hearted, it's because of their values that a person worshipping Godse started worshipping Gandhiji,” quoted the report.

Controversial Decision

BJP spokesperson, Rahul Kothari alluded Congress’ decision as a move to regain political support in the state, added the report. "It's because of the civic polls as they have been wiped out of the Gwalior-Chambal region,” Kothari said.

Congress party lost a key leader, Jyotiraditya M Scindia, in March who defected to the BJP causing a change in MP government, from Kamal Nath to BJP's Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

Kothari added, “A month back, Kamal Nath had asked Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan whether he was with Mahatma Gandhi or with Nathuram Godse. Now Kamal Nath himself needs to answer that question."

Jaiveer Bhardwaj, leader of the All India Hindu Mahasabha dismissed Congress’s move to welcome Chaurasia’s to the party as being “ready to take anyone”.

(With inputs from NDTV)