Bhopal/New Delhi: BJP Lok Sabha candidate from Bhopal, Pragya Singh Thakur, an accused in 2008 Malegaon terror blast case, on Thursday stirred a fresh controversy by calling Mahatma Gandhi’s assassin Nathuram Godse a “patriot”.Pragya was reacting to actor Kamal Haasan’s recent remarks that Godse was the first Hindu terrorist in independent India.
Congress veteran and party’s candidate from Bhopal, Digvijay Singh, lost no time to take a swipe at the BJP for Pragya’s statement. Condemning her statement, Digvijay Singh said praising Godse was not patriotism, but an “anti-national” act.
Interestingly, BJP has been trying to rein in Pragya after her recent controversial statements on Maharashtra police officer Hemant Karkare, slain in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, and Babri Masjid demolition landed the party in acute embarrassment threatening to mar its prospects in the ongoing Lok Sabha polls in several states, particularly Maharashtra.
Meanwhile, the Election Commission on Thursday took cognizance of Pragya Singh Thakur's remarks.
The poll body has sought a “factual report” from chief electoral officer of Madhya Pradesh by Friday on her statement, official sources said in the national capital.
Earlier this month, the EC had barred Pragya from campaigning for three days.
