Hindu Mahasabha celebrates Gandhi’s death by shooting at his effigy
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Aligarh: The right-wing Hindutva outfit Hindu Mahasabha on Wednesday, as many may not expect, celebrated 71stdeath anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi – but with a difference: by shooting at his effigy, and the fake blood was oozing out of it.
Hindu Mahasabha’s National Secretary Puja Shakun Pandey was seen in a video shooting at an effigy of Gandhi. After the video went viral, Aligarh Police registered cases against 13 activists of Hindu Mahasabha including Pandey. She also said that she had started a new tradition and it was the same as Dussehra festival, in which demon king Ravana’s effigy is burnt.
She later garlanded the statue of Nathuram Godse, the assassin who had taken the life of the Father of the Nation with a bullet on 30 January 1948.
The day is marked as Martyrs’ Day in the country, but the organisation that recreated Gandhi’s assassination calls it 'shourya divas' ('Bravery Day') focusing on the act of the assassin.
The effigy was later set on fire while slogans praising Gandhi’s murderer can be heard in the background.
Aligarh police registered a case against her and tens of unidentified persons under the sections of sections 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon), 149 (unlawful assembly), 295 A (Deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings or any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) and 153 A (promoting enmity between different groups) of Indian Penal Code (IPC).
“Today on the occasion of the 71st death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, workers of Hindu Mahasabha fired at the effigy of Mahatma Gandhi. The incident took place in a house in Naurangabad locality of the city. Later, the video of the event went viral on social media,” Senior Superintendent of Police of Aligarh Akash Kulhary informed news agencies.
The police are conducting raids to nab the accused persons.
