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EC notice to Sadhvi Pragya for saying her curse got Karkare killed
The district election officer of Bhopal has found a violation of the model of conduct in remarks made by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Pragya Thakur against former Mumbai anti-terror squad chief Hemant Karkare, Madhya Pradesh’s chief electoral officer (CEO) VL Kantha Rao said on Saturday.
The district election officer of Bhopal has found a violation of the model of conduct in remarks made by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Pragya Thakur against former Mumbai anti-terror squad chief Hemant Karkare, Madhya Pradesh’s chief electoral officer (CEO) VL Kantha Rao said on Saturday.
“Show-cause notices for violation of the model code of conduct have been served to Pragya Thakur and the organiser of the programme where she made this remark. Action will considered against them after their replies.” Rao said.
Thakur is an accused in the 2008 Malegaon blasts case that was investigated by Karkare, who died in the 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai. Thakur, who is out on bail, said on Friday that she suffered abuse, harassment and insults from the late police officer.
She said he died because she cursed him: “Maine kaha, tera sarvnash hoga” {I said, may you perish.} The remarks invited severe criticism from political leaders and the Indian Police Service Association. The BJP distanced itself from Thakur’s statement. On Friday evening, Thakur offered an apology and said her remarks were prompted by the pain she had experienced during her incarceration.
On Wednesday, Thakur joined the BJP and hours later was named the party’s candidate for the Bhopal Lok Sabha seat. She faces Congress’s Digvijaya Singh. CEO Kantha Rao said he had taken cognizance of the matter and asked Bhopal district collector Sudam Khade to submit a report on it.
