This Article is From Apr 22, 2019

"I Talk When I Want": Pragya Thakur Dismisses Reports Of BJP Gag Order

Reports suggest that Pragya Thakur was called to the BJP office in Bhopal and, over a four-hour meeting, told to avoid controversial comments and stick to her narrative of torture in jail.

'I Talk When I Want': Pragya Thakur Dismisses Reports Of BJP Gag Order

Pragya Thakur alleges that she was tortured in jail during her questioning.

New Delhi:

BJP candidate Pragya Thakur, who spent much of today observing a "maun vrat (oath of silence)" even when she was filing her nomination papers to contest from Madhya Pradesh's Bhopal, denied that she had been gagged by her party.

"Abhi main apne bhaav mein hoon," the saffron-wearing "Sadhvi" or female monk told NDTV.

Reports suggest that Pragya Thakur was called to the BJP office in Bhopal and, over a four-hour meeting, told to avoid controversial comments and stick to her narrative of torture in jail.

The 48-year-old denied it. "I am a rashtrasevak from Gujarat. I talk to people when I want," she said. "When I campaign, I feel the energy of people, and I feel re-energised."

Since she was named as the BJP's candidate against Congress leader Digvijaya Singh in Bhopal last week, Pragya Thakur has received two notices for her comments.

In an interview to television channel TV9 over the weekend, Pragya Thakur said she was among the people who demolished the Babri Masjid on December 6, 1992 and she was "proud" of it.

She was served notice for "creating mutual hatred or cause tension between different communities", but unfazed, she said she "stands by" what she said.

She also declared that she had "cursed" Hemant Karkare, a celebrated officer who died fighting terrorists in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks.

"I had told him you will be finished, and he was killed by terrorists in less than two months," Pragya Thakur had bragged at a press conference on Thursday.

Hemant Karkare, as Maharashtra's anti-terror chief, was among the first officers to investigate the 48-year-old in the Malegaon blasts -- in which six people died and around 100 were injured in 2006. A National Investigation Agency (NIA) court dropped stringent charges under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act but the trial court retained charges against her under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. She is currently out on bail, on health grounds, and her candidature has been challenged in court by the father of one of the men who died in the blast.

Pragya Thakur alleges that she was tortured in jail during her questioning.

To reports that there was no evidence of any torture, she said: "Pratyaksham Kim Pramanam (what is obvious needs no evidence).

Bhopal will vote on May 12 of the national election. The results will be announced on May 23.

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