Sources say the party "will not take any action against Pragya Thakur". (File photo)
Even as Pragya Singh Thakur blundered into yet another controversy, she appears to have been let off lightly by the ruling BJP for her outrageous comments describing Mahatma Gandhi's assassin Nathuram Godse as a patriot.
Sources say Pragya Thakur, a 2008 Malegaon blasts accused who won the election from Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh, sent her party an apology for the Godse comments in May, after the BJP demanded one. But no action will be taken against her for now, say sources.
"The remarks I made have hurt the sentiment of many. I apologised for the same both within the party and in a written note to everyone," the saffron-robed debutant parliamentarian reportedly told her party within the time frame of May 17-27.
Sources say the party "will not take any action against Pragya Thakur" and even the disciplinary committee doesn't want to speak on it. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's strong words should be lesson enough, said party leaders.
PM Modi had said on the comments, which had embarrassed the party at the height of election season: "These kinds of statements made about Gandhiji are condemnable and cannot be allowed in civilised society. She may have apologised, but I shall never forgive her."
Clearly, Pragya Thakur has not learnt any lesson in restraint.
The first-time MP told BJP workers at a meeting on Sunday that she "wasn't elected to get drains and toilets cleaned". Many accused her of denigrating PM Modi's "Swachch Bharat Abhiyan" or clean India mission with her arrogant words.
Speaking to BJP workers at Sehore, which comes under her parliamentary constituency of Bhopal, Pragya Thakur said: "We haven't been elected to clean your drains, ok? We haven't been elected to clean your toilets, please understand. The work for which I have been elected, I will do honestly, I have said that before and I will say it again."
"It is the duty of a Member of Parliament to work in coordination with local public representatives, including local MLAs (legislators) and municipal councilors for the overall development of the constituency... Get your local issues and work done through the local representatives instead of calling me on my phone every now and then," Pragya Thakur told party workers.
The 49-year-old was reportedly responding to a BJP worker complaining about the lack of hygiene and cleanliness in his area.
For this remark, she has been pulled up by her party leadership. Sources say Pragya Thakur was summoned by the BJP's working president JP Nadda, who reprimanded her and told her to refrain from such comments.