Took no name, said nothing wrong: Pragya to poll panel

Anup Dutta

Bhopal, April 22

The BJP’s Bhopal candidate, Pragya Singh Thakur, filed her nomination papers as per the ‘mahurat (auspicious time)’ at the District Collectorate here today. An accused in Malegaon bombings, she will file  another set of papers on Tuesday, according to her media coordinator.

Pragya will take on senior Congress leader and former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijay Singh, who  filed his papers on Saturday. Fielded five days ago, the Sadhvi begun her poll campaign today, visiting the Govindpura Assembly seat, one of the eight segments comprising the Bhopal parliamentary constituency.

Pragya has been handed two notices by the Election Commission for violation poll code, first for her ‘curse of death’ remark on 26/11 martyr Karkare and another for boasting she had climbed atop Babri Masjid and was “proud” to demolish it.

In her response to the EC notice on ‘Karkare curse’ remark, she said: “I have spoken nothing wrong that could flare communal tension. I did not take any name, nor did I attack anybody on personal issues or raise slogans against anybody... I would request the EC to append sensitive pamphlets, if any, or any complaint by a political worker against me, with the notice.” Pragya is yet to  reply to the Babri Masjid remark.

Maya questions EC silence

• BSP chief Mayawati on Monday questioned the silence of the Election Commission regarding Pragya Thakur’s claim that she was not contesting an election but fighting a “dharam yudh”.
• In a press statement, Mayawati said, “The Election Commission merely issued notices and in this case its silence is strengthening the resolve of such leaders”