BJP's Bhopal candidate Pragya Thakur has been banned from campaigning for three days
Malegaon blast accused Pragya Thakur - who is taking of Congress's Digvijay Singh from the Bhopal Lok Sabha seat -- has been barred from campaigning for 72 hours for her hugely objectionable statement on Babri Masjid demolition. The ban begins from 6 am on Thursday. The Election Commission said her comment -- that she had climbed atop the mosque and broken it, and she was "proud" of it -- violates the rule against appealing to caste and communal feelings.
Pragya Thakur said she respects the Commission's decision.
In an interview to television channel TV9 earlier this month, the right-wing activist said she was among the people who demolished the Babri Masjid more than 25 years ago.
"We had removed a blot from the country. We had gone to demolish the structure. I feel extremely proud that God gave me this opportunity and I could do that. We will make sure a Ram temple is constructed at that site," Pragya Thakur had said.
In her response to the notice from the Election Commission, the right-wing activist had admitted that she made the remark, but added that it was taken out of context.
A police case has also been filed against the 49-year-old, who is an accused in the Malegaon blasts that killed six people and injured more than 100 in 2008.
Since her induction in the party and nomination from Bhopal earlier this month, Pragya Thakur has made a string of controversial statements that have incensed the opposition.
Soon after joining the BJP, she said 26/11 hero Hemant Karkare had died at the hands of terrorists after she "cursed" him -- drawing the first notice from the Election Commission.
"I had told him you will be finished, and he was killed by terrorists in less than two months," Pragya Thakur had said at a press conference.
She had apologised later as the BJP distanced itself from the comment.