The criticism over the BJP's nomination of Sadhvi Pragya Thakur as its candidate for Bhopal constituency is expected to grow shriller after shocking remarks from her on Friday.
Speaking to mediapersons in Bhopal on Friday, Pragya, who was jailed for being an accused in the 2008 Malegaon bomb blasts case, claimed Hemant Karkare, the chief of the Mumbai Police's anti-terror squad, was killed after she cursed him.
Karkare was one of the senior-most police officers who were killed when terrorists from Pakistan attacked multiple targets in Mumbai in November 2008. Karkare was posthumously awarded the Ashok Chakra in 2009.
Pragya was arrested after a motorcycle used in the Malegaon blasts in September 2008 was traced to her. The blasts killed six people and injured over 100. Pragya claimed she was questioned at a jail in Mumbai by Karkare on the pretext of gathering evidence. Pragya claims “Karkare would not let her go, despite lack of evidence”. Pragya said Karkare's conduct against her was “treacherous” and dharmvirodh (abominable).
Pragya claimed she told Karkare, Tera Sarvanash hoga (all you hold dear will be wiped out) and added within a “quarter of a month”, Karkare was killed by terrorists.
Charges against Pragya were dropped under sections of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), but she is still being tried under provisions of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act.
Disgraceful comments by BJP's Bhopal Lok Sabha candidate Pragya Thakur on 26/11 martyr Hemant Karkare ji need to be condemned in strongest terms. BJP is showing its true colours & it must be shown it's place now https://t.co/3Qdo1x7kPI
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) April 19, 2019
Pragya was granted bail by the Bombay High Court in 2017.
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Reacting to Pragya's comments against Karkare, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted, “Disgraceful comments by BJP's Bhopal Lok Sabha candidate Pragya Thakur on 26/11 martyr HemantKarkare ji need to be condemned in strongest terms. BJP is showing its true colours & it must be shown it's place now”
The BJP's decision to nominate Pragya from Bhopal had led to widespread criticism of the party nominating a terror accused. The father of the one of the victims of the Malegaon blasts appealed to a NIA court in Mumbai on Thursday to bar Pragya from contesting, as she had been granted bail on health grounds.
