Pragya Singh Thakur, BJP Bhopal candidate
The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Wednesday barred Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate from Bhopal Lok Sabha constituency, Pragya Singh Thakur, from campaigning for 72 hours starting 6 am on May 2.
Thakur's remark that she was "proud" of Babri Masjid's demolition was found violative of the Model Code of Conduct.
"We do not regret but are proud of demolishing the Babri Masjid. We removed the waste from our Lord Ram's temple," Pragya Thakur had said, in a TV interview.
Pragya Thakur was a part of the large crowd of Hindu Kar Sevaks who, on December 6, 1992, demolished the 16th-century Babri Masjid in the city of Ayodhya, in Uttar Pradesh.
Sadhvi Pragya's statement against Karkare had 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".
