Sadhvi Pragya Thakur
The Election Commission of India has served another notice to BJP candidate from Bhopal Sadhvi Pragya Thakur over her controversial comment on the demolition of Babri Masjid in Ayodhya.
The poll commission has also sought an explanation over her remark that she had supported the demolition of the Babri Masjid in 1992.
This came after Sadhvi Pragya, in an exclusive interview with AajTak, said, "Why would we regret the demolition of the Babri Masjid? We are, in fact, ‘proud’ of it. There were some waste products of the Ram temple and we removed it. This has awakened the self-respect of our country and we will construct a grand Ram temple."
When asked about her stand on her earlier comment, Sadhvi Pragya Singh told news agency ANI, “Yes, I had gone there (Ayodhya), I had said it yesterday too, not denying it. I had demolished the structure. I will go there and help in the construction of Ram temple, nobody can stop us from doing that, Ram rashtra hain, rashtra Ram hain,”
The first notice was issued against her after she bragged that former ATS Chief Hemant Karkare died at the hands of terrorists during the 26/11 attack in Mumbai because she "cursed" him.
The BJP has been facing flak for fielding Sadhvi Pragya -- Malegaon blasts accused. However, she found an unexpected supporter in Prime minister Narendra Modi.
PM Modi said if the person responsible for 1984 riots against Sikhs could be made the prime minister, "what was wrong in fielding Sadhvi."
Sadhvi Pragya's statement against Karkare also raised a political storm with opposition parties attacking the BJP and the Congress demanding an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
However, the saffron party distanced itself from her comments, saying it was her "personal view" which she might have made "due to years of physical and mental torture".
