Kochi: Tushar Gandhi, the great-grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, stood by his recent remarks against the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), refusing to retract or apologise.

His statements, made during the unveiling of a statue of Gandhian P Gopinathan Nair in Thiruvananthapuram, labelled the BJP and RSS as "dangerous and insidious enemies" in Kerala. The two saffron outfits have now called for his arrest over the comments.

Gandhi Stands Firm on Remarks Against RSS, BJP

As per a repot by PTI, Gandhi, speaking at an event in Aluva near Kochi on Friday, March 14, stood by his remarks, stating, "Once I say those things, I don't believe in retracting or apologising for them." He added, "This incident has strengthened my resolve to continue exposing the traitors. This fight is even more crucial than the freedom struggle. We now have a common enemy, the Sangh, and they must be exposed."

Gandhi also expressed concern that "the descendants of my great-grandfather’s murderers" might target Mahatma Gandhi's statue. In response, the BJP criticized him, claiming he was merely "by default" born as Mahatma Gandhi's descendant and has been attempting to "monetise" his great-grandfather's legacy.

Gandhi, who previously referred to the RSS as "poison," faced protests from BJP-RSS workers, who blocked his car and chanted slogans.

BJP Leader Accuses Tushar Gandhi of Monetising Mahatma Gandhi's Name

Former Union Minister of State and BJP leader V Muraleedharan accused Tushar Gandhi of attempting to "monetise" Mahatma Gandhi's name for years. Speaking at a BJP protest in Neyyattinkara, Muraleedharan claimed those who invited Tushar for a statue unveiling were likely unaware of his background. He added that the Gandhi name doesn’t automatically grant Gandhi the same respect as the Father of the Nation. Muraleedharan called for Gandhi's arrest based on a BJP complaint.

The BJP leader also criticized Kerala's Pinarayi Vijayan government for arresting five RSS-BJP workers who raised slogans against Gandhi after an event in Neyyattinkara. The police filed charges of unlawful assembly, rioting, and wrongful restraint under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

Vijayan condemned the alleged "Sangh Parivar attack" on Gandhi, asserting that suppressing free speech cannot be tolerated in a democratic society.