Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur was flanked by BJP leaders who are seen clapping at the remarks.
Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, an accused in the 2008 Malegaon blasts case and the BJP candidate against Congress's Digvijaya Singh in Bhopal, said that former Maharashtra Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) Hemant Karkare lost his life because she had cursed him.
Hemant Karkare was killed along with two other senior police officers while fighting terrorists during the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai in November 2008.
Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur is expected to file her nomination from Bhopal on April 23. Bhopal will go to polls on May 12. Counting of votes will take place on May 23.
Here are the Highlights on this story:
"He must be treated with respect," tweets Rahul Gandhi on Hemant Karkare
"Hemant Karkare gave his life protecting India. He must be treated with respect," Congress Chief Rahul Gandhi said in a tweet.
"Ashok Chakra awardee Hemant Karkare made a supreme sacrifice," says the IPS Association
"Ashok Chakra awardee late Sri Hemant Karkare, IPS made the supreme sacrifice fighting terrorists. Those of us in uniform condemn the insulting statement made by a candidate and demand that sacrifices of all our martyrs be respected," said the IPS Association in a tweet.
"Hemant Karkare gave up his life for our country," tweets NCP, after Sadhvi Pragya's comments
"Hemant Karkare is a martyr who gave up his life for our country. An insult to him is an insult to all who have laid their lives in the service of the nation. It hurts the sentiments of every patriotic indian. Statement by Sadhvi Pragya is unacceptable and highly condemnable," the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) said in a tweet.
"BJP must apologize for Sadhvi Pragya's comments," says AAP in a tweet
"The nation is proud and indebt of Mumbai ATS Chief Hemant Karkare who laid down his life fighting against the terrorist during the 26/11 attack. @BJP4India must apologize for insulting Hemant Karkare," said AAP in a tweet.
"That would be her point of view": BJP's Nalin Kohli over Sadhvi Pragya's comments on Hemant Karkare
"Respect every son & daughter of India who sacrificed their lives for motherland. What Pragyaji has said, that would evidently be her point of view perhaps because she herself underwent an investigation. We salute sacrifice of Karkareji & won't do politics on it," says BJP's Nalin Kohli, quoted by news agency ANI
The BJP's Shahnawaz Hussain has criticized the comments, saying: "Those who died for the country, we consider them martyrs. We don't raise questions on their martyrdom."
National Spokesperson of Congress, Sanjay Jha said that Pragya Singh Thakur is mocking the death of ATS Chief Hemant Karkare. He tweeted:
Election Commission has clearly said that no political comments should be made on Army and martyrs. Hemant Karkare ji was an honest and committed officer who attained martyrdom for the people of Mumbai in a terror attack: Senior leader Digvijaya Singh told news agency ANI.
There was an outrage by the political people from all the parties:
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal expressed his shock via twitter and said BJP is showing its true colours and it must be shown its place now. He tweeted:
Had "Cursed" Hemant Karkare, Brags Sadhvi Pragya, Claps From BJPNew BJP recruit Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, in shocking comments on Hemant Karkare, has boasted that the 26/11 hero died because she "cursed" him. "I had told him you will be destroyed, and he was gone in less than two months," bragged Sadhvi Pragya, a 2008 Malegaon blasts accused who has been named a BJP candidate for the national election.
- Hemant Karkare was the first officer to investigate the blasts on September 29, 2008, in which six people were killed and 101 injured.
- Pragya Thakur was arrested in 2008 but was given a clean chit by the National Investigation Agency in 2015 for lack of evidence. However, the trial court refused to let her off, saying it was difficult to accept since her motorcycle was used in the blast.
- She has been cleared of charges under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act and was granted bail by the Bombay High Court in 2017 but remains an accused under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act.
- BJP's new recruit Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, also in the 2008 Malegaon blasts case made a shocking comment on the 26/11 attacks hero.
- Sadhvi Pragya said that former Maharashtra Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) Hemant Karkare lost his life because she had cursed him.
- "The investigation team called Hemant Karkare and said if you do not have evidence, let her go. He said, 'I will do anything to get evidence against her. I won't let her go.' This was his hatred (kuteelta). He was anti-national. He was dharm virudh (anti-religion). You won't believe, but I said, 'tera sarvanash hoga (you will be destroyed)'. Just after 'sawa' month, terrorists killed him," said Sadhvi Pragya to reporters on Thursday.