By Shehzad Poonawalla
Petition (filed) to PM, MHA, MHRD, Law Ministry against the proposed installation of statues of Nathuram Godse, terrorist and killer of MK Gandhi using public funds/land and attempts to revisit, legitimise his case by Sangh ideological affiliates/Hindu Mahasabha . Action demanded from PM and Government of India
To,
The Prime Minister of India,
Government of India.
CC:
The Home Minister of India,
Government of India.
The Ministry of Human Resource Development,
Government of India.
Sir,
As a concerned citizen of India I would like to draw your attention to this extremely disturbing news report that indicates the intention of the Hindu Mahasabha outfit, an ideological affiliate of the Sangh Parivar, to install the statues and busts of Nathuram Godse’s, the murderer of our Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, at public places across India. Moreover, the outfit has also stated on record its intention to write to you to that the Gandhi murder case be revisited. The Mahasabha’s national president, Chandra Prakash Kaushik, reportedly told The Hindu “There needs to be a thorough investigation of the events that led to the assassination, so that vilification of Nathuram Godse ends and the people of this country know that he wasn’t an assassin by choice but was forced to make the decision to kill Gandhi.”
Here are news reports confirming the same.
http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/hindu-mahasabha-wants-to-install-godses-bust-at-public-places/article6702846.ece?ref=relatedNews
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Hindu-Mahasabha-wants-Godse-busts-across-India/articleshow/45568302.cms
http://www.financialexpress.com/article/miscellaneous/now-hindu-mahasabha-seeks-space-for-installing-mahatma-gandhi-killer-nathuram-godses-busts-across-india-from-narendra-modi-govt/21104/
Sir I would humbly pray for the following from your office:
Communicate with the Law Ministry
1) Any attempt to revisit and question a decided case I.e. The murder of Mahatma Gandhi in which Nathuram Godse (amongst others) was convicted with a death sentence , by no less than the Punjab and Haryana High court on 21st June 1949 in a 315 page judgment would amount to Contempt of Court. Any attempt by your office or the Government of India to do the same, at their request or otherwise, would amount to legitimisation and glorification of a terrorist convicted by the court and would entail appropriate proceedings under Contempt of Courts Act, 1971.
Communicate with the Home Ministry
2) Mr.Nathuram Godse is a criminal convicted of an heinous offence namely murder by the law of the land. His offence is graver as his victim was the Father of the Nation. To allow the use of any public space or funds for the erection of any statues/busts or to pay any tributes to him at the expense of public exchequer would not just be morally objectionable but a violation of the law by attracting penal provisions for Misuse of Public Funds under Indian Penal Code, 1860. It may even lead to a law and order crisis across India as sentiments may be deeply wounded by the honouring of a terrorist who killed the Father of the Nation Nathuram Godse. In addition if any public land/ funds is spent on honouring a person like Nathuram Godse, a terrorist, it is my intention to move the appropriate court of law through writ petition/PIL to prohibit the Government or any government body from doing so. It is hereby requested that the Ministry of Home Affairs, adheres to the law and morality of the situation and forewarns in writing m at the earliest, all state governments, government bodies, local authorities receiving public funds/support to disallow the use of their space or funds for the erection of a statue dedicated to Nathuram Godse.
Communicate with the HRD Ministry
3) The Hindu Mahasabha is an ideological affiliate of the Rasthriya Swayamsevak Sangh which was banned by Shri Vallabhbhai Patel in the aftermath of the Gandhi murder. Godse himself was a member of the RSS. Many leaders of the RSS were seen and reported to be celebrating on the death of Gandhi ji as per Sardar Patel’s letters. You claim to be a proud proponent of the RSS. As a citizen I would like to know whether you stand with the idea of India as represented by Mahatma Gandhi or as represented by the RSS and Hindu Mahasabha. Recently, Sakshi Maharaj, a member of Parliament from your party namely the BJP too, handed a certificate of patriotism to Nathuram Godse. On the one hand you pay lip service to Mahatma Gandhi when you enter your office and law flowers at his picture. On the other hand you remain silent when your own colleagues celebrate the terrorist act of man and an organisation that cost us the Mahatma’s life. On the one hand you initiate programs like Swach Bharat and claim to be the torchbearer of his vision yet you do nothing as the ideals of secularism, cherished by Mahatma, enshrined in our holy book the Constitution are thwarted every day by your own party colleagues by their communal vile. Be it Yogi Adityanath, Sakshi Maharaj, Giriraj Singh, Praveen Togadia, Sadhvi Jyoti, Vinay Katiyar, etc.
It is incumbent for us to know whether you only have Gandhi on your lips and Godse in your heart? If not, I hope you will act immediately by not only ensuring that no public funds are spent on Godse statues but also that no legitimacy is given by your office to groups like the Hindu Mahasabha. No attempt should be made to revisit the decided case of Mahatma Gandhi. And no endeavour should be made to white wash the role of communal fanatics through post-facto justifications in the discourse of our educational syllabi in state run or subsidised schools. Here should be no linkages of outfits such as Hindu Mahasabha in drafting educational curriculum or content whatsoever. Such standing instructions must be issued to all state governments, government schools and colleges.
I expect you to publicly act and speak, to demonstrate your will and intention on this subject and move the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Law and Ministry of Human Resource Development to take necessary steps as suggested, as this issue lies at the very heart of India’s plural, secular ethos
In the event you don’t, your silence and your inaction will only be worthy of one judgment by the collective conscience of India
“Hey Ram”
Secularly yours,
Shehzad Poonawalla
Lawyer activist
New Delhi
20 December, 2014
Countercurrents.org