Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on June 20 hit out at the Congress, saying its opposition to the Gita Press being named for the Gandhi Peace Prize was an "insult to our culture, traditions, life values and religion."
Congress general secretary-in-charge of communications Jairam Ramesh on June 18 alleged that the decision to honour Gita Press with the Gandhi Peace Prize is "really a travesty" and "it's like awarding Savarkar and Godse”. Ramesh was referring to Hindutva ideologue V.D. Savarkar and Mahatma Gandhi's killer Nathuram Godse.
The Gorakhpur-based Gita Press, which is the world's largest publisher of Hindu religious texts, has declined the ₹1 crore cash award for the Gandhi Peace Prize amid a political row over its selection for the prestigious honour.