Karnataka: 'Nathuram Godse Road’ signboard removed after backlash

A controversy erupted in Karnataka on Monday (June 6) after a road was named after Mahatma Gandhi’s killer Nathuram Godse. Images and videos of a concrete signboard displaying it were shared on social media.

The signboard reads ‘Padugiri Nathuram Godse Raste’ in Kannada which translates to ‘Padugiri Nathuram Godse Road’.

Also read: Why Gandhi’s anguished cry of ‘Hey Ram’ is giving way to ‘Oh, my Godse!’

This came up in the Bola gram panchayat of Udupi district, according to reports.

According to a Times of India report, the issue of naming the road after Gandhi’s assassin was noticed when Youth Congress leaders brought it to the gram panchayat authorities. Officials of the gram panchayat swung into action and removed the name board with the help of the police.

The Panchayat Development Officer (PDO) of Bola gram panchayat Rajendra told the newspaper that the issue was brought to the notice on Monday morning.

“The gram panchayat has no idea when and who put up the signboard. The gram panchayat has not taken any such resolution to name the road after Godse. We do not know who erected that concrete name board there. Hence, soon after receiving the information we sought Karkala rural police help to remove it from there,” the PDO said, adding that a complaint will be filed with the Karkala rural police, as per the report.

Also read: Chants of ‘long live Godse’ as Gurgaon anti-namaz extremists take out march

A detailed report will be submitted to the taluk panchayat soon, he added.

Sources in the village told the newspaper that the signboard would have been installed at least two days ago but was noticed on Monday. The road to Padugiri village was concretised some time back by the Karkala taluk panchayat.

“Some miscreants had placed the board naming the road after Nathuram Godse. The gram panchayat authorities cleared it soon after receiving the information. I have directed the Karkala taluk panchayat EO to visit the spot and submit a report. Officials also have been directed to submit a complaint seeking action against the miscreants who had placed the signboard,” Zilla Panchayat CEO H Prasanna was quoted as saying.

Reacting to this, Congress leader and MP Manickam Tagore accused the ruling BJP in the state trying to spread the ideology and philosophy of Godse.

“The people of Karnataka will reply to the RSS and BJP in a strong way whenever they get the opportunity. Karnataka is a state which believes in Gandhiwad and celebrates it. I hope that the chief minister of the state Mr. (Basavaraj) Bommai removes the name wherever it is mentioned,” Tagore said.

There were videos shared on Twitter that showed the signboard being removed.