‘Ridiculous to Worship Godse’: Chandra Bose on Netaji’s Grandniece

Choudhary, a leader of the Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha, worshipped Godse’s portrait in Gwalior on Tuesday.

Chandra Bose has slammed Netaji’s grandniece Rajyashri Choudhary for worshipping Mahatma Gandhi’s murderer Nathuram Godse.

(Photo: The Quint)

BJP leader and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s grand-nephew Chandra Bose has slammed Netaji’s grand-niece Rajyashri Choudhary for worshipping Mahatma Gandhi’s murderer Nathuram Godse.

Choudhary, a leader of the Hindu right-wing outfit Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha, had worshipped Godse’s portrait and offered prayers to it in Gwalior on Tuesday, 19 November.

Speaking to The Quint, Netaji’s grand-nephew called Rajyashri’s actions and comments “ridiculous and irresponsible.”

“I condemn the actions of Rajyashri Choudhary, and denounce her attempt to uplift Nathuram Godse. This is not correct.”

Chandra Bose, West Bengal BJP Vice-President

‘Gandhi Akin to Bhishma in Mahabharat’: Rajyashri

Questioning Gandhi's influence on crucial events like the Partition, Choudhary likened his role in the freedom struggle to Bhishma from the Mahabharat, who had led the notorious Kaurava forces. She also added that Gandhi had “silenced” everyone to favour Jawaharlal Nehru.

Reacting to Choudhary’s comments, Chandra Bose says, “I don’t know why Rajyashri is making such rubbish statements. I suppose it is just for publicity. Today, I find that people in public life want to make a controversial, ridiculous statement so that they come in the news. I think this is highly irresponsible.”

Bose adds, “She used to be in the BJP, now I think she is with the Hindu Mahasabha. If you hold any sort of public position, you must make responsible statements. Nehru had his failings, but you cannot put this kind of a charge on Nehru without any evidence. Yes, there was a political rivalry between Netaji and Nehru within the Congress party, but it never really went beyond that. You see, today I am in the BJP and there is a rivalry among our colleagues as well. But it doesn’t come to eliminating or beating up people.”

‘Gandhi and Bose Had Tremendous Respect for Each Other’

How do you react to Choudhary performing aarti in front of a portrait of Nathuram Godse, the man who killed Gandhi?

Chandra Bose: Nathuram Godse certainly cannot be worshipped. No man has the right to kill another person.

Mahatma Gandhi had a lot of differences with Subhas Bose, but both had tremendous respect for each other. If you recall, Subhas Bose called Mahatma Gandhi ‘the father of the nation’, and Gandhi reciprocated by calling him ‘prince among patriots’.

That respect was there even though the two of them had different paths – Gandhi believed in non-violence, Subhas believed in an armed struggle, but their goals were the same. I don’t know what goal Nathuram Godse had.

Rajyashri Choudhary worshipped a portrait of Nathuram Godse, the man who murdered Gandhi.(Image: Liju Joseph/The Quint)

Are you close to Rajyashri Choudhary?

Chandra Bose: Not really. I meet her at various occasions and parties, and all that. When she was with BJP, I met her a couple of times at the party office.

She had come to our family saying that she is related to us. You see, the family of Janakinath Bose (Netaji’s father) branches into many directions. I’m not denying that she is related to the Boses, but she is not related closely to us.