© IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd
Tags:
Journalism of Courage
Pragya Singh Thakur, the BJP’s candidate from the Bhopal Lok Sabha seat, Tuesday filed her response to the plea by the father of a deceased victim in the 2008 Malegaon terror blast seeking to bar her from contesting elections.
Calling the plea “frivolous” and with “political agenda”, Thakur, a key accused in the case, said there was no provision under the law to bar her from contesting the polls. Bhopal will go to polls on May 12.
VIDEO | Pragya Singh Thakur breaks down while addressing BJP workers
Her response came five days after Nisar Ahmed Sayyed Bilal, whose son Sayyed Azhar died in the blast, moved the special NIA court in Mumbai urging it to bar Thakur from contesting election since the trial is still in progress.
The 59-year-old who had intervened in the case, opposing Thakur’s bail as well as her discharge plea, had said since the NIA had nothing to say against Thakur, it was his duty to “inform the court about this development which hurt the bomb blast victims massively”.
READ | Bar Sadhvi from polls, trial still on: Malegaon victim’s father to court
Facing trial for her alleged role in the blast that left six dead and 101 injured, Thakur is currently out on bail. She has been booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for conspiring and abetting a terror act, and also faces charges ranging from murder to criminal conspiracy.
A Hindu hardliner, she has been fielded against Digvijaya Singh who the BJP calls a Hindu-baiter. This sets the stage for a highly polarising battle in Bhopal.
