BJP’s Bhopal candidate claims her curse killed Hemant Karkare

BJP’s chosen candidate for Bhopal Lok Sabha constituency Pragya Singh Thakur, a terror accused, waded into another controversy on Friday after she claimed that it was she who was responsible for the death of the Mumbai ATS ( Anti Terror Squad) chief Hemant Karkare on November 26, 2008.

Karkare, who had investigated the Malegaon terror blast case and was instrumental in arresting the alleged masterminds including Pragya Singh Thakur, had been shot dead by Pakistani terrorist Ajmal Kasab, on the fateful night of the attack on Mumbai. Karkare, unaware of the details, had walked into the heavily armed Kasab without protective gear and without adequate security.

News Agency ANI on Friday released a video clip in which the BJP candidate can be heard claiming that Karkare had died because of her curse. This is what the agency tweeted, “ #WATCH Pragya Singh Thakur:Maine kaha tera (Mumbai ATS chief late Hemant Karkare) sarvanash hoga.Theek sava mahine mein sutak lagta hai. Jis din main gayi thi us din iske sutak lag gaya tha.Aur theek sava mahine mein jis din atankwadiyon ne isko maara, us din uska anth hua (18.4)

While Karkare was in the crosshair of the RSS and the BJP after he arrested several Hindus suspected of terrorist activities, the then Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, for reasons which have not been explained till today, had flown to Mumbai and announced on Television that his Government ( Gujarat Government) had decided to pay one Crore of Rupees to the widow of Hemant Karkare, an offer that the police officer’s widow had politely declined.

Pragya Singh Thakur, who is out on bail on medical grounds, is already in the eye of a storm after survivors and victims of the Malegaon blast appealed to keep her out of the election till her trial in the terror case get over.

Her claim of having killed the police officer with her curse caused outrage on Twitter even as some mocked at the claim. Some of the early tweets responding to her claim were:

• “Kya coordination hai! Aapne shaap diya Hemant Karkare ko.. aur Kasab ne aapka sapna poora kar diya! (Listen to Pragya Thakur) Sach me aatankwad ka koi dharm nahi hota..”

• “If Rubina Memon can be sentenced for her vehicle's involvement in a terror attack, shouldn't Pragya Thakur be in jail for the same & for her further involvement in attack? Instead, Pragya Thakur has been fielded as a Lok Sabha candidate for the BJP by PM Modi & Amit Shah Thread!”

• “Terrorist & BJP candidate Sadhvi Pragya has insulted a martyr - a chowkidar- who died protecting the nation. Few hours ago Modi was calling others anti national --If BJP doesn’t sack her , we shouldn't differentiate between BJP and ISI anymore.

• Hemant Karkare one of the finest police officers India has produced... tales and tales of his bravery... Pragya Thakur speaking ill of him even after he laid down his life for us, says volumes about BJP as party... look forward to Mr. Jaitley’s blog on compulsive contrarian!