Ahmedabad, Oct 12 (PTI): BJP leader and Union minister Uma Bharti today claimed the Congress "benefited" from the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi as he had talked about disbanding the party after Independence.

She was responding to a question on the Supreme Court's recent observations while hearing a plea seeking reopening of the investigation into the assassination.

"This matter is going on since the time Godse killed Gandhiji. Today I ask the country through you (the media) as to who benefited from the murder of Gandhiji?" Bharti asked.
She said while the Sangh and Jan Sangh faced damage and the country suffered losses "only the Congress benefited from the assassination of Gandhiji".

"Because Gandhiji had suggested that the Congress be dissolved (after Independence). In fact, he had already announced the Congress shall be disbanded," the minister of drinking water and sanitation claimed.

She was speaking to the media during the BJP's 'Gujarat Gaurav Yatra' in Banaskantha district of north Gujarat.

Gandhi was shot dead at point blank range in New Delhi on January 30, 1948 by Godse, a right-wing advocate of Hindu nationalism.

The plea in the SC, filed by Mumbai-based Pankaj Phadnis, a researcher and a trustee of Abhinav Bharat, has sought reopening of the probe on several grounds, claiming it was one of the biggest cover-ups in history.

Bharti is one of the ministers taking part in the ongoing yatra of the BJP that aims to galvanise support for the ruling party ahead of the assembly elections.

During the yatra, she addressed public meetings in Deodar, Tharad, Vav and Radhanpur constituencies.