India: BJP-led Goa government cancels release of book on Nathuram Godse at a state-run auditorium on Mahatma Gandhi's death anniversary

The Telegraph, January 30, 2016

Godse book release put off
Our Special Correspondent

Mumbai, Jan. 29: The BJP-led Goa government has cancelled an event to release a book on Nathuram Godse at a state-run auditorium on Mahatma Gandhi's death anniversary tomorrow.

The decision followed protests by social organisations and political parties, including the Congress, against the release of Nathuram Godse - The Story of an Assassin. Writer Anup Sardesai is an RSS sympathiser.

"It was a move by the BJP and the RSS to deify Godse, Gandhi's killer. They were bringing in Satyaki Ashok Savarkar, grandnephew of Godse and Veer Savarkar, for the release," said Ramesh Gauns, a freedom fighter.

Damu Naik, the chairman of Ravindra Bhavan - the auditorium named after Rabindranath Tagore - confirmed the cancellation. "We have told the organisers that they cannot have the event and refunded the money," said Naik, a former BJP legislator.

Asked on whose recommendation the booking was initially accepted, Naik said: "It was done without realising that such a book was being released on Martyrs' Day (Gandhi's death anniversary). The BJP government has taken the decision (the cancellation) to respect the Father of the Nation, not under any pressure."