Mumbai: Kalicharan Maharaj, a Hindu monk who slandered Mahatma Gandhi, said he could not apologize and was prepared to face the death penalty if a case was registered against him.
A case has been registered against a Hindu monk for slandering Gandhi at the Kotwali police station in Maharashtra, officials said.
The closing ceremony of the two-day Dharma Sansad (religious meeting) was held in Raipur on Sunday evening. It was attended by Kalicharan Maharaj alias Abhijit Sarak, a Hindu monk. He lives in Shivaji Nagar, the old city of Akola in Maharashtra.
During the finale of the show, Kalicharan Maharaj is said to have used insulting words against Mahatma Gandhi and praised Nathuram Godse for killing him.
Attending the Dharma Sansad event, Kalicharan, Maharaj said, “In the true sense of the word, Kotse is the Mahatma. In order to protect the Hindu religion, a radical Hindu leader should be elected as the head of state, ”he was quoted as saying. An FIR was registered against him in Raipur.
Condemning his remarks, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupathi Bagel said, “If a hypocrite thinks that he can succeed in his mission by spreading poison in the society by slandering the Father of the Nation, it is his delusion.”
The issue was echoed in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly yesterday (Monday).
Maharashtra Minority Affairs Minister Nawab Malik has demanded that the issue be raised in the state assembly and a religious leader be charged with treason and arrested. Responding, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said, “The government will take stern action after hearing a report on Kalicharan Maharaj’s comments.”
On Monday, Congress leaders from Akola, Maharashtra, staged a protest against Kalicharan Maharaj outside the City Kotwali police station, claiming he had hurt the feelings of the people.
A case has been registered against the monk based on a complaint lodged by local Congress leader Prashant Kawande, a Kotwali police station official said today. Commenting on the case, Kalicharan Maharaj said, “I cannot apologize and I am ready to accept the death penalty for this.”
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