Vishnu Pandya, chairman of the Gujarat Sahitya Academy, in a open letter clarified his stand regarding an article published in 'Hindustan Times' titled 'Godse Worship goes Mainstream in India.' The article which was published on 1 June 2019, was written by historian Ramachandra Guha on the basis of a debate in a Gujarati channel. Guha wrote that the cult of Nathuram Godse is no more marginal; but mainstream. Its members include not only BJP MPs but also prominent Sangh ideologues. He had mentioned that in a recent television debate, well-known Gujarati writer, Vishnu Pandya, called Pragya Thakur 'a saint.' Of her praise of the Mahatam's murderer, he commented, 'Godse was a patriot, and so was Gandhi.' Pandya is no ordinary Rashtriya Swamsewak Sangh (RSS) worker, he is a Padma Shri awardee and the current president of the Gujarat Sahitya Academy.
Vishnu Pandya clarified that he is not an RSS ideologue nor a spokesperson of the RSS. “Yes, I was an editor of a magazine 'Sadhana' that is inspired by the RSS ideology for 15 years (1967-76). And I was active in opposing the emergency imposed in India (1975-76) and pre-censorship, wrote articles against emergency and was jailed for a year. I was convenor of 'Gujarat Biradari' and 'Abhinav Bharat' with Vimla Tai Thakar, an associate of Jayaprakashji, the social thinker. I penned her biography too. I was a convenor of a committee for the study of the borders of Gujarat with Babubhai Patel, chief minister and Gandhian political leader of Gujarat. I am a writer of novels, essays, history and journalism and recipient of Padma Shri in 2017. Various institutions have conferred me with awards, including 'Gujarat Gaurav' and Hon.D.Lit from Gujarat University. The reason why I am writing this is, you have blamed such a person for having respect for not Gandhiji but Godse.
“If you would have listened or read my lecture 'Gandhiji and Partition' or you would have read my book 'Gandhi-Sardar-Subhash' you would have thought twice before blaming me in the article. Without understanding the reference of the whole discussion you have quoted that, 'if Gandhi was a Patriot, so was Godse. What was the context to that reference? Murder of Gandhi is and will be forever a cruel and despicable incident for every citizen of not only in India but all over the world. There cannot be any excuse for that. But from the statement of Nathuram Godse, one can at least come to the conclusion that he had the Hindu Nation in his mind and for the Nation he committed the deed. In such circumstances, can he be considered nationalist or patriot or Nation lover as per his definition or notion of Nation. Why is this not reviewed without partiality or prejudice?
“You have mentioned in your article that I have considered Pragnaji to be a saint or saadhvi, Yes, her right to be addressed or considered saint or saadhvi cannot be stripped off. As per Hindu philosophy she left her home and relatives and worked without any worldly bondages and so only she won the election with such mandate. Is it an ordinary matter that a simple or common saadhvi defeating the ex-chief minister? The significant matter is that just being accused of Malegaon case, she was condemned by the then Central government and others with the phrases like 'safronised terrorism' and 'Hindu terrorism.' Not only that but the imprisoned woman had to suffer awful oppression from the jail authority. In fact, this was double crime as it was oppression of a woman that too imprisoned. Should one keep mum about the outrage against saadhvi Pragnaji? There is no fanaticism or castism in the questions above. They should be examined with pure historical vision beyond any partiality or prejudice. I am a hardcore historian. Fifty years of my life I have given to journalism and being a person from literature strongly supported by historical facts.”
