New Delhi: Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday served a third show-cause notice to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur for her latest remark calling Congress leader and her electoral rival Digvijaya Singh a “terrorist.”
During an election campaign in Madhya Pradesh’s (MP) Sehore district on Thursday evening, Thakur had said that “a ‘sanyasi’ (ascetic) is needed to eliminate ‘atanki’ (terrorist) in Bhopal.”
The EC has also asked for a comprehensive report from Bhopal District Collector Sudam Khade on Thakur’s statements in these elections.
After getting the notice, Thakur said she stood by her remark and that the notice would be replied to in accordance with the law.
“We are studying the notice at the moment. We would respond as per law. All I can say right now is that I have not said anything wrong,” Thakur told Gulf News.
Right-wing activist Thakur is an accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case.
Thakur, who spent nine years in jail, joined BJP later after being cleared of charges under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA). But she faces other charges for the series of bombings that killed at least six people and injured more than 100.
She has been fielded by BJP from Bhopal constituency against Singh.
Last week, a show-cause notice was issued by EC to Thakur for her statement that she was proud of her participation in the demolition of the Babri mosque in Ayodhya.
According to the notice, the statement was a violation of Chapter 4 of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC), which pertains to maintenance of harmony among castes, communities, religious and linguistic groups.
Reacting to the notice, Thakur had said, “I am not backtracking. The structure was demolished and a grand temple would be constructed. Nobody can stop me from constructing a grand temple.”
Earlier this month, a controversy broke out on Thakur’s statement on former Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) chief Hemant Karkare, who died in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack.
She claimed that Karkare died during the terror attacks as she had “cursed” him for “torturing” her when he probed the Malegaon blast case as ATS chief.
EC later served notice to her for this remark.
