Sadhvi Pragya’s penchant for controversies: From praise for Godse to remark on Hemant Karkare

While she was roundly criticised at the time — the Election Commission (EC) sent her a show-cause notice — the BJP distanced itself from the remarks and claimed it had always considered Karkare a martyr. “The BJP considers him a martyr. This is Sadhvi Pragya’s personal statement which she might have given because of the mental and physical torture she had faced,” the party statement read.

In a subsequent television interview, PM Modi alleged that the Congress had defamed a “5,000-old culture that believes in Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam”. He said, “They called them terrorists. To answer them all, this is a symbol (fielding Thakur) and it will cost the Congress.”

Following the backlash over the Karkare remarks, Thakur withdraw her statement and apologised, saying she was doing so as she felt “the enemies of the country were being benefited from it”.

A month later, Thakur triggered another political firestorm when she called Mahatma Gandhi’s assassin Nathuram Godse a “desh bhakt”. She said, “Nathuram Godse was a patriot, is a patriot, and will remain a patriot… those who call him a terrorist should look within… they will get a reply this election.”

As the party disowned the remarks, Modi also slammed Thakur. Responding to a query from the News24 TV channel, he said, “The kind of remarks, statements made about Gandhiji and Godse is horribly wrong (bhayankar kharab). It is hateful, and these should be criticised and condemned in every which way. There is no place for such language, thinking in any civilised society. Those who do such things will have to think a hundred times in future. It’s a different matter that she has apologised, I will not be able to forgive her from my heart.”

As leaders such as Anantkumar Hegde and Nalin Kumar Kateel also backed Thakur, then party president Amit Shah warned there would be “action” against the leaders who commented on Godse. “We have decided to issue showcause notices. Once their responses come, disciplinary committee will take a decision … The entire BJP is upset, that’s why prompt action has been taken. Appropriate action will be taken.”

Thakur again made comments praising Gode in Parliament in November 2020. When DMK member A Raja, participating in a debate on the Special Protection Group (Amendment) Bill, cited Godse’s statement on why he killed the Mahatma, Thakur interrupted and made a remark praising Godse. As the angry Opposition sought an apology from Thakur and BJP members were seen persuading her to sit down. The comment was expunged from Lok Sabha records.

As the Opposition kept up the pressure, the party dropped Thakur from a parliamentary committee. Then BJP working president JP Nadda said, “The statement given by MP Pragya Thakur is condemnable. BJP never supports such a statement and we do not support this ideology… We have decided that she will be removed from the consultative committee on defence, and will not be allowed to participate in the parliamentary party meetings this session.”