Madhya Pradesh Congress is attracting criticism from within the party and elsewhere for inducting a Hindu Mahasabha leader who had made a temple of Mahatma Gandhi assassin Nathuram Godse in Gwalior.

The leader Babulal Chaurasia is affiliated to Hindu Mahasabha, parental organisation of Godse, in Gwalior, and had won as a corporator in Gwalior. The central Indian state is due to witness civic polls in couple of months and the grand old party is busy bolstering ground base after losing power in the state.

Chaurasia joined Congress party in the presence of MPCC chief Kamal Nath and was accompanied by Congress MLA from Gwalior Pravin Pathak.

Former PCC chief Arun Yadav in his tweet criticised the induction of Chaurasia in Congress, saying "Bapu Hum Sharminda Hain."

However, as a seasoned politician, Chaurasia was quick to alter political affinity after joining Congress. He claimed that he was an old Congressman. Chaurasia was in Congress but had joined Hindu Mahasabha after he was denied ticket in last civic polls. 

He added that Hindu Mahasabha kept him in the dark to make him support them and when he realised that he was with the wrong men, he decided to join Congress party. He however accepted that he was elected as corporator in Gwalior’s ward no 44 as a Hindu Mahasabha corporator.

The turncoat mentioned that he was kept in the dark when Hindu Mahasabha made him worship Nathuram Godse and he was trying to keep away from Mahasabha’s activities for the last two-three years. He could never imbibe Hindu Mahasabha ideology, claimed Chaurasia.

Notably, Congress was viciously attacking BJP government over Hindu Mahasabha activities, mostly in Gwalior, where the radical outfit tried installing Godse temple and kept worshipping him for the past few years. Recently the Mahasabha had opened Godse Gyanshala, a library dedicated to Godse’s life and other great personalities. It was closed down by Shivraj government after Congress party outcry.

Meanwhile, Home Minister Narottam Mishra on Thursday slammed Congress party for double standards.

“Godse ka Pujari- Ab Congress ki Savari,” said Mishra adding this exposes the Congress party characteristic. “Gandhi for them are only Rajiv, Sonia and Rahul Gandhi.” People like Mahatma Gandhi, Bhimrao Ambedkar and sardar Patel are limited for them for vote bank, added the minister. He claimed that none from the Gandhi family is yet to visit Statue of Unity which is dedicated to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.