Ananthkumar Hegde might be referred to BJP disciplinary committee for remarks on Mahatma Gandhi, party sources

The matter of BJP MP Ananthkumar Hegde's comments on Mahatma Gandhi has been referred to the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) disciplinary committee for further action, according to party sources.

Hegde had stoked a controversy after he had attacked Mahatma Gandhi by calling the freedom struggle led by him as a "staged drama" and also questioned how "such people" come to be called "Mahatma".

"None of these so-called leaders was beaten up by the cops even once. Their independence movement was a big drama. It was staged by these leaders with the approval of the British. It was not a genuine fight. It was an adjustment freedom struggle," he had said.

Meanwhile, the BJP lawmaker on Tuesday said that he never said anything against the Father of the nation.

"All related media reports are false. I never said what is being debated over. It is an unnecessary controversy. I own my statement made on February 1, 2020, in Bengaluru. I never made any reference to any political party or Mahatma Gandhi or anybody else, I was just trying to categorise freedom struggle. That's all," Hegde told ANI.

Several Congress leaders have condemned his remark while BJP leaders too have distanced themselves from it.