The Surat police on Monday arrested six persons for allegedly celebrating the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi's assassin Nathuram Godse. According to police a group of people reported to be members of Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha including the accused named in the FIR, held a function in a temple on Sunday evening where they lit up earthen lamps and distributed sweets in order to mark the 109th birth anniversary of Godse.
The FIR has been registered at Limbayat police station in Surat against six persons and a group of people who have not been identified as yet. Police said that among the arrested accused are- Hiren Mashru, Vala Bharvad, Viral Malvi, Hitesh Sonara, Manish Kala and Yogesh Patel. According to police, the hunt for other accused are on.
The accused have been booked under section 153 (promoting enmity between different groups), 153 A (imputations, assertions prejudicial to national integration) and other sections of Indian Penal Code.
When contacted Surat police commissioner Satish Sharma confirmed the arrest and said that "accused belong to the All India Hindu Mahasabha outfit."
According to police, On Sunday, the accused had held the event at a Hanuman temple in Sanjaynagar area under Limbayat police station. Video clips of this event have also surfaced which have been tweeted by several Congress leaders including Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee chief Amit Chavda.
"RSS and BJP have encouraged Mahatma Gandhi's murders so much that that BJP leader Pragya Thakur called Godse a patriot and today in Gujarat Hindu Mahasabha people dared to celebrate his birthday. Godse supporters should not have a place in this country," Chavda tweeted.
The video shows a group of youths garlanding portrait of Godse. Local sources said that the accused had lit 109 earthen lamps near the portraits and distributed sweets to mark the 109th birth anniversary of Godse.
Following condemnation by Congress leaders, minister of state for home Pradipsinh Jadeja issued a statement saying, “In Gandhi’s Gujarat, Godse’s birth anniversary’s celebration can’t be done.” He said that the state government took immediate action and arrested six accused.
“The Father of Nation Mahatma Gandhi is revered by the countrymen and whose murderer’s birth anniversary’s celebration is an insult to the countrymen and therefore, this incident will not be treated lightly.” He added that strict action will be taken against the accused.