Who Is Pooja Shakun Pandey? Why Did She Get The Godse Award?

The Hindu Mahasabha recently conferred Pandit Nathuram Godse-Nana Apte Bharat Ratna. This award was announced on January 30, the day the country mourns the death of the father of the nation, Mahatma Gandhi. One of the recipients of this award is Pooja Shakun Pandey, who was arrested for reenacting the killing of Gandhi earlier in 2019.

The name of the award is Pandit Nathuram Godse-Nana Apte Bharat Ratna and it is based on the seven proponents of "extreme Hindutva." It was announced by the Vice President of the ultra-right-wing organisation Ashok Sharma, who said, "This is the first time we have conferred this award on those who believe in Godse's ideology and promote it. The award includes a medal and a commendation letter."

The recipients of these awards include people who have made extremist statements and have been arrested for it. People like religious leader Kalicharan Maharaj, who was arrested on January 12 for making derogatory comments against Gandhi and then granted bail by a Thane court.

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Another is Pandey, who had reenacted the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi by shooting his effigy on his death anniversary in 2019. She was arrested in Aligarh. "This commendation will only strengthen my resolve to propagate the nationalism that Godse died protesting," said Sharma.

Who Is Pooja Shakun Pandey?

A Hindu Mahasabha leader, Pooja Shakun Pandey was arrested in 2019 for her reenactment, which was criticised by the Bhartiya Janata Party as well. But before that, she was seen in photographs with the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Union Minister Uma Bharati.

The pictures of her with the BJP leaders were shared by her on social media and has now been reportedly removed.

In the reenactment case, she along with 12 other people were charged under the criminal case. She has been a part of controversy for the longest time for her remarks. She is the national secretary of the All India Hindu Mahasabha and had reportedly said that the shooting of Gandhi's effigies is similar to the burning of Ravana every year on Dussehra.

Hindu Mahasabha Godse Awards Recipient: Pooja Shakun Pandey

Pooja Shakun Pandey's husband, Ashok Pandey had said, "We have trained our children to kill anyone who challenges the unity of our motherland...Our children will not be as naive as us, they will kill many more before they get killed."

According to her husband, Pandey is "a brave woman" who has taken sanyaas from ordinary life to serve "the cause of Hindutva."

Pandey is also the first woman judge of the first Hindu Court, which is equivalent to Sharia courts, in Meerut. She had made controversial statements herself by saying that if she was born before Godse, she would have killed Gandhi with her own hands.