Aligarh, May 19 (IANS): The controversy over Nathuram Godse refuses to die down. The All India Hindu Mahasabha on Sunday celebrated the birthday of the assassin of Mahatma Gandhi with a "havan" here.

A heavy deployment of police was seen at the Bidas compound under Gandhi Park police station where the "havan" was held.

The Hindu Mahasabha had created a controversy on October 2 last year when its members had sought to recreate the Gandhi assassination by shooting at a Gandhi effigy.

A row broke out after Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, the BJP candidate from Bhopal, termed Godse as a "patriot", leading to criticism from the party and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who said: "I do not think I will be able to forgive her for praising Godse."

Her remarks came after actor Kamal Hassan, who has floated his own party, the Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM), had stoked the controversy when he said Godse was the "first terrorist of Independent India" and a Hindu.