'He Was A Saput Of India': Giriraj Hits Back At Owaisi On 'Godse Ki Aulad' Remark

New Delhi: Union Minister Giriraj Singh on Friday called Nathuram Godse a ‘saput’ (worthy son) of India and said the slayer of Mahatma Gandhi was not an intruder like Mughal rulers Babar and Aurangzeb as he was born in India, news agency PTI reported. The BJP leader, who has the rural development and Panchayati raj portfolio, said "those who take pride in calling themselves children of Babar and Aurangzeb cannot be true sons of mother India," PTI quoted Singh while talking to reporters in Dantewada city of Chhattisgarh.

Asked about a remark of AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi related to Godse while responding to Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’s comment on Aurangzeb, Singh said, “If he was the murderer of Gandhi, he (Godse) was also a saput of India. He was born in India. He was not an invader like Babar and Aurangzeb.”

Owaisi, while addressing a programme of his party on Thursday said, "Maharashtra's Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis said 'Aurangzeb ke aulaad.' Do you know everything? I didn't know you (Fadnavis) were such an expert. Then you should know who the children of Godse and Apte too, who are they?"

Referring to recent violence in a few cities of Maharashtra, Fadnavis said on Wednesday that suddenly Aurangzeb's 'aulad' (progenies) had taken birth in the state, prompting Owaisi to counter who was 'Godse ki aulad'.

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Singh accused the Bhupesh Baghel-led Congress government in Chhattisgarh of spreading terror and encouraging religious conversion.

"Tribals and non-tribals are being converted in the state as part of a conspiracy. When BJP is elected to power in the state, a stringent law will be enacted against conversion," he said.

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Targeting the state's Congress government, the Union minister claimed misappropriation of funds given to Chhattisgarh under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA).

"Whoever is siphoning off MNREGA funds will have to face investigation and they will be punished, be it chief minister or others, he said.

Singh also slammed state's Excise Minister Kawasi Lakhma over the alleged use of abusive words against the BJP and said his remark shows the character of the Congress government. Baghel ji has to see this," he added.

Lakhma on Thursday allegedly used an abusive word in Halbi, a local dialect, while talking to media persons in Kanker district.