'Indira Gandhi Mother Of Congress': Suresh Gopi Issues Clarification Day After Calling Former PM 'Mother Of India'

Union Minister and BJP leader Suresh Gopi issued clarification a day after he called Indira Gandhi the mother of India.

A day after Union Minister Suresh Gopi's remarks on former prime minister of India, Indira Gandhi, garnered widespread attention, the actor-turned politician on Sunday came forward issued clarification on refering Indira Gandhi as the mother of India. Gopi stated that he called the late leader the "mother of the Congress party in the country" and that the media misinterpreted his remarks.

The actor-turned-politician stated that he was talking from the heart and stood firm on his words stressing that there was nothing wrong in what he remarked about Indira Gandhi, news agency PTI reported.

While addressing the media, the BJP leader, who secured a big win for the saffron party in Kerala in the Lok Sabha polls, asked the reporters whether or not they understand the contextual meaning of language.  

"What did I say? As far as the Congress is concerned...whether anyone likes it or not... K Karunakaran is the father of the Congress party in Kerala. In India, its mother is Indira Gandhi. I said this from my heart," Suresh Gopi stated.   

'Cannot Forget Someone Who Worked Sincerely For India': Gopi

However, the minister of state for petroleum and tourism, continued to praise the late prime minister Indira Gandhi on June 16 as well.

"Indira Gandhi is the real architect of India post independence and until her demise. I have to make these attributions anyway. I cannot forget a person who had worked sincerely for the country only because she belonged to the political rival party," PTI quoted Gopi as saying.  

The references were made by Gopi on Saturday, when he visited late Congress Chief Minister K Karunakaran's memorial in Thrissur. There, he had called Indira Gandhi the mother of India. He had also prasied Karunakaran's administrative capabilities and called him a "courageous administrator". 

The BJP leader also added that he considered Marxist veteran E K Nayanar and Karunakaran his political gurus.

The Union Minister stated that he viewed Indira Gandhi as "bharathathinte mathavu" [mother of India], and labelled Karunakaran the father of the Congress party in Kerala.  

Gopi also clarified that describing Karunakaran as Congress's father in Kerala did not mean that he was disrespecting the founders or co-founders of the grand old party in the southern state, PTI reported.

Gopi Opens Account For BJP In Kerala In LS Polls

In the Lok Sabha Elections 2024, Suresh Gopi won the Thrissur Lok Sabha, opening the BJP's electoral account in the state.  

Thrissur had witnessed a three-cornered neck-and-neck battle in the Lok Sabha elections, with major candidates from the BJP, Congress and CPI contesting to secure the seat. 

However, the actor-turned-politician defeated Karunakaran's son, K Muraleedharan, who finished third in the electoral battle during the April 26 Lok Sabha elections.