Bhopal: Despite offering an apology, BJP candidate from Bhopal Pragya Singh Thakur has been served a notice by the Election Commission on Saturday.
Addressing BJP workers in Bhopal on Thursday night, Thakur had claimed that late IPS officer Hemant Karkare died during the 26/11 terror attacks as she "cursed" him for torturing her.
District returning officer and collector Sudama Khade served notices to Thakur and BJP’s Bhopal unit president Vikas Virani over the remarks. Both have been directed to furnish their replies within 24 hours.
The collector while speaking to the media on Saturday also confirmed that the notices have been issued. “The assistant returning officer’s report will be sent to the EC,” he added.
On Friday, chief electoral officer of MP VL Kantha Rao had stated that a complaint had been received by his office on Thakur’s remarks and he has directed the Bhopal collector to probe into the matter. The officer without naming the complainant had claimed that no political party had submitted it.
Madhya Pradesh minister and state Congress leader Arif Aqueel on Saturday flayed Thakur’s remarks by claiming that she is just uttering the lines that she has been told to say. "Bhopal has Ganga-Jamuni tahzib and candidates like Pragya Thakur won't succeed here," Aqueel claimed.
Out on bail, Thakur (48) has been discharged by a court on charges under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) in the 2008 case, but is still facing trial under other criminal provisions, including the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
The BJP on Wednesday fielded her from the Bhopal seat, where she is set to have a direct contest with Congress heavyweight and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Digvijay Singh.
Thakur was criticized by Shankaracharya Swaroopanand Saraswati on Saturday who said a seer shuns all worldly relations before stepping into the spiritual world including his/her surname.
Saraswati also condemned Thakur’s comments against former MP CM Digvijaya Singh. “If you consider yourself Mahishashur Mardini, then why contest polls against Digvijaya Singh? You cab end him with your shraap (curse) as you did with Karkare, so that he can’t submit his nomination,” taunted the senior seer.
(Inputs from Manoj Sharma)
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