Indian PM's party fields candidate accused in bomb blast
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The ruling party of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Wednesday it will field a candidate accused of involvement in a deadly 2008 bomb blast in the country's ongoing national election.
Pragya Singh Thakur, a 48-year-old female monk, is out on bail while she faces charges related to the attack that killed six people.
She announced on Wednesday that she will run for a seat in the city of Bhopal on the ticket of Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Read: India's top court questions election commission on action against perpetrators of hate speech
Thakur, a firebrand speaker, made national headlines after the blast close to a mosque in western Maharashtra state's Malegaon city that also injured around 100 people.
She was arrested shortly after the attack and was described by authorities as a leading plotter. Indian law allows candidates facing court cases to run up until the time of any conviction.
“All conspiracies against me have failed. I am an ascetic monk and will ensure justice and respect for my country,” Thakur said, clad in traditional Hindu saffron clothes, at a press conference in Bhopal.
“I am confident, fully confident. I am ready for politics and (this) religious war,” she added, flanked by regional party leaders.
Thakur was released on bail in 2017 and has had one charge against her dropped but still faces other charges in the ongoing trial.
Her candidacy in Bhopal — a BJP stronghold constituency in a key heartland state — is expected to polarise local voters.
Her main rival is the outspoken and controversial Digvijaya Singh, from the opposition Congress party.
Hindu nationalists accuse Singh of using the term “saffron terror”, which they view as objectionable, to refer to acts of violence by right-wing extremists targeting areas with large Muslim populations.
India's election is taking place in seven phases, with voting in Bhopal not scheduled until May 12. Results in the vote, the world's largest, are expected on May 23.
The election is seen as a referendum on Modi, who is seeking a second term from the country's 900 million voters.
The opposition Congress party has tried to undermine support for Modi by pointing to his lacklustre economic performance in the last five years.
The BJP meanwhile has focus on Modi's key social schemes and a hardline nationalist stance.
Read more
On DawnNews
Comments (70) Closed
Apr 17, 2019 10:17pm
Suddenly all those copy/paste remarks from Hindustanis about "no good or bad terrorists" seems a little ironic, doesn't it?
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Apr 17, 2019 10:25pm
She has been acquitted by the honourable court of India.
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Apr 17, 2019 10:31pm
May be there was no actionable evidence
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Apr 17, 2019 10:37pm
Poor woman. There was not even a case against her and she was kept in custody illegally by Khangressi govt. Thanks to Modi govt for finally releasing her for being innocent and give her chance to prove her strength again by contesting the polls.
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Apr 17, 2019 10:40pm
Not surprised!
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Apr 17, 2019 10:54pm
As a modi supporter , I am quite disappointed . Have to admit despite all the good work , modi has done , i wont vote for BJP
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Apr 17, 2019 10:55pm
@Bikram Singh Thappa,
Then what is the bail for?
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Apr 17, 2019 11:12pm
RSS in full control. Savarkars and Ghosdes Akhand Bharat in the making. MK Gandhi wondering up there "where did I go wrong ?"
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Apr 17, 2019 11:28pm
@PakPower,
Rahul Gandhi is out on bail too
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Apr 17, 2019 11:33pm
She was arrested and tortured by the then officials of the UPA government. She was acquitted by the courts in all charges and after trial of the cases..She will win Bhopal seat.
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Apr 17, 2019 11:33pm
Why is nobody surprised? India's keeps plunging further into the abyss of disgrace.
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Apr 17, 2019 11:39pm
@Bikram Singh Thappa, no, she is not acquitted
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Apr 17, 2019 11:39pm
Bail has been granted to her according to Indian laws, which are very strong. Therefore, she has the right to run for the seat. If found guilty, rest assured that justice will be served. That's how the system works in civilized nations.
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Apr 17, 2019 11:41pm
@Bikram Singh Thappa, She is not acquitted. She is out on bail pending six charges against her.
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Apr 17, 2019 11:44pm
Not surprised. This is the arrogance of BJP.
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Apr 17, 2019 11:47pm
@Tg, I think his point is that if she has been acquitted in all her cases than she doesn't require bail... since she is out on bail it means that she still has some case pending....
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Apr 17, 2019 11:53pm
This is to reassure hardcore base .
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Apr 17, 2019 11:53pm
@PakPower, Not bail acquitted!!
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Apr 17, 2019 11:54pm
Bjp shouldn’t have field sadhvi even if Congress misused power and accused her
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Apr 17, 2019 11:57pm
A very unusual candidate for any political office! Should be disqualified...
Gordon D. Walker
Canada
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Apr 18, 2019 12:12am
@hashbrown looks like i have found 1 in the shape of bikram singh thappa and his likes many more usually found here.please live a life and concentrate on own country
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Apr 18, 2019 12:22am
She was falsely accused and has been acquitted by supreme court of india.
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Apr 18, 2019 12:42am
She will win easily as most don’t like Congress candidate. Regarding charges, they are just charges at this time (there are 100’s of candidates who have charges including Rahul and Sonia who are on bail in corruption charges) and until punished, she can contest. I personally don’t like this rule but there are too many political charges so rule book has to be made like it.
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Apr 18, 2019 12:49am
wrong news! She has been acquitted!
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Apr 18, 2019 12:58am
Murderers, theives, corrupt and liars are BJP candidates. They will do the country in.
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Apr 18, 2019 12:58am
@Bikram Singh Thappa, just like Modi was acquitted.
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Apr 18, 2019 01:09am
BJP, the killers of Muslims party is selecting the killers of muslim to stand in this election.
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Apr 18, 2019 01:15am
@Bikram Singh Thappa,
Our honourable court hasn't found Hafiz Saeed and Masood Azhar culpable either!
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Apr 18, 2019 01:16am
@HashBrown®,
But he is a 'good one' as he is BJP man; just like they defend Adityanath!
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Apr 18, 2019 01:27am
Unless you are convicted by the court, merely being accused doesn't mean anything.
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Apr 18, 2019 01:48am
@Bikram Singh Thappa,
She was acquitted by court is true. Simultaneously it is also true that Court said in its judgement that NIA (agency looking after blast case) is not willing to bring right evidence to prosecute her and deliberately go slow so that she can go scote free.
After BJP came to power, in every case of right wing terror accused are getting bail and NIA is moot spector. Also NIA put its pressure on PP Ms.Salini to give glove of hands treatment to her and she resigned from PP post.
If we Indian are taking refuge under court granted bail / acquisition of Sadvhi Pragha, then we are not on position to ask Pakistan for Hafiz Said because there is no case against him in Pakistan court and not convicted by any Pakistani court.
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Apr 18, 2019 02:14am
@Bikram Singh Thappa, pull the other one.
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Apr 18, 2019 02:38am
she was framed and is now acquitted by court
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Apr 18, 2019 03:15am
Good her to be elected, it will be litmus paper to hidden sentiments of their secular nation
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Apr 18, 2019 03:15am
Accused, not guilty
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Apr 18, 2019 03:17am
All the thugs, outlawed and con-artists have a fair chance to win a seat and bring more of them, after all, it is a democracy and who can argue about it?
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Apr 18, 2019 03:19am
This is a party of Terrorists and should be banned immediately
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Apr 18, 2019 03:41am
@thinking, delay justice long enough and witnesses disappear and die. Look at samjotha express, no one convicted of killing so many Muslims. Convenient.
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Apr 18, 2019 03:43am
@HashBrown®, agree.
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Apr 18, 2019 03:47am
@thinking, Exactly that’s for Indians to understand. Unless you have actionable evidence, you mustn’t blame anybody.
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Apr 18, 2019 03:54am
court released her... she was framed by congress.
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Apr 18, 2019 03:55am
It is disheartening to read comments from India. There are bad fanatic people in every group, specially the groups which sees themselves as oppressed. I don’t see Pakistani people supporting Dawood Ibrahim (rumors that he is protected by Pakistan but not openly) or Ajmal Kassab. Here we have Modi, as a Prime minister and haters like yogi as Chief minister.
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Apr 18, 2019 04:27am
@Bikram Singh Thappa, no , dummy - she’s out on bail.
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Apr 18, 2019 05:13am
Why do they cry about Hafiz Syed then. at least he is not contesting election.
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Apr 18, 2019 05:14am
false case built against her
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Apr 18, 2019 06:03am
The person in question is a lady and the court has let her out. Congress in the past has done numerous misdeeds and is no position to even oppose her candidature, hence silent on the issue.
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Apr 18, 2019 06:04am
@Kumar(Varanasi), hardcore terrorist base you mean...
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Apr 18, 2019 06:11am
@Bikram Singh Thappa, the Indian courts are dishonorable, Gujarat, kashmir, sikhs, naxalite, Muslims, all can attest to this fact.
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Apr 18, 2019 06:11am
@thinking, convenient excuse for injustice!
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Apr 18, 2019 06:15am
@Bikram Singh Thappa, Just like the 18 masterminds of Samjhota express case who were acquitted by the hounourable court of India despite admitting to setting the train on fire on purpose and causing the loss of innocent lives! Right!
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Apr 18, 2019 06:35am
@Govinda, decoy
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Apr 18, 2019 06:46am
She was framed by Congress but acquitted by court.
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Apr 18, 2019 07:10am
@Govinda, don't need ur vote.get lost
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Apr 18, 2019 07:14am
One thing is commendable for modi and BJP and that is they have bhakts scattered every where a really strong propaganda team
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Apr 18, 2019 07:29am
@Never mind the name,
"Khangressi.."?
Man, you guys are ultimate level of obsession and hate.
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Apr 18, 2019 07:37am
Whole party is terrorist.Unfortunately no women tourist a d Muslim is safe in India.
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Apr 18, 2019 07:38am
Party is full of criminals No tourist women or Muslim is safe in India
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Apr 18, 2019 07:44am
How about "actionable evidence"
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Apr 18, 2019 07:47am
Another example of shining India. India is ruled by war mongering, muslim hating and Pakistan bashing bigots. BJP is now openly spreading hatred against muslims to get votes. Just listen to the recent statements made by BJP leaders Yogi and Manica Gandhi. "Sab ka sath saath sab ka vikas" was the slogan (turned out to be a bad joke) of BJP in last election, let us see if the shameless Indian media will ever stand up.
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Apr 18, 2019 07:49am
half of modi's including himself are of similar character, a party is known by its leader
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Apr 18, 2019 07:49am
Fielding Sadhvi Pragya as a BJP candidate from Bhopal is a mockery of the democratic process and sends all the wrong messages about us to the world.
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Apr 18, 2019 07:50am
@Bikram Singh Thappa, every criminal who is aflliated to this party are acquitted
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Apr 18, 2019 08:03am
Whole BJP under Modi is a terrorist party. This is no surprise even acquittal from Indian courts are also shady under present regicide Modi. Courts in India are neither independent not fair in their judgment because judges are serving under continuous life threats from terrorists groups of BJP of India. So very soon Indian parliament would be filled with Hindu Extremists and terrorists under central leadership of Modi.
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Apr 18, 2019 08:10am
Innocent until proven guilty.
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Apr 18, 2019 08:10am
@Rani, every criminal linked to any party is acquired..it is same in every country of South Asia..not surprising
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Apr 18, 2019 08:13am
@Bilal, she has been given clean chit.
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Apr 18, 2019 09:23am
A conspiracy of congress party to include her name in Malegon Blast. Congress has to pay the price for calling Hindu Terrorist.
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Apr 18, 2019 11:32am
No actionable evidence, no glorious history of terrorism, exoneration by Indian courts, now the Congress party leaders will face the courts for even suggesting something as ludicrous as "Hindu terror" or "Saffron terror". Now for the endgame, game on.
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Apr 18, 2019 11:56am
@Govinda, "As a modi supporter , I am quite disappointed . Have to admit despite all the good work , modi has done , i wont vote for BJP"
Good, As if your vote would have made the difference?
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Apr 18, 2019 07:20pm
@riz1,
Every vote makes a difference.
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