"Godse is a patriot," says this BJP politician

Nathuram Godse, the man who assassinated Mahatma Gandhi, "was a deshbhakt (patriot), is a deshbhakt and will remain one," the BJP's Pragya Singh Thakur said today, adding to her growing list of controversial statements, reports NDTV.

Soon, people and politicians, even from BJP, all over the nation condemned it and asked her to apologise. she later claimed that she would "follow the party's line" and the party's line was her line. She also said that she respects Mahatma Gandhi.

But she did not issue an apology despite BJP leaders calling for one. "It was my personal opinion. My intention was not to hurt anyone's sentiments. If I've hurt anyone I do apologise. What Gandhi Ji has done for the country cannot be forgotten. My statement has been twisted by the media," she told news agency ANI.

She issued the statement when she was asked about actor-turned-politician Kamal Hassan's comment, "Godse, the first extremist of independent India, was a Hindu".

The Sadhvi, who is the main accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast - that killed 6 and injured over 100 - said, "Nathuram Godse was a deshbhakt, is a deshbhakt and will remain a deshbhakt. People calling him a terrorist should instead look within, such people will be given a fitting reply in the election," reports NDTV.

Earlier, she was known for her "cursing" comment on 26/11 hero Hemant Karkare, who died fighting terrorists.