Karnataka Police has filed a First Information Report against Member of Parliament Sadhvi Pragya Thakur for making controversial statements at an event in Shivamogga.
On Sunday, 25 December, at the Hindu Jagarana Vedike’s South Region Annual Convention in Karnataka’s Shivamogga, Bharatiya Janata Party MP Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur called for those in the crowd to keep weapons or “sharp knives” at home to kill "the enemies" and keep their families and daughters safe.
The FIR has registered case under sections 153 (provocation), 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence), 154 (unlawful assembly), 504 (insult intended to provoke breach of peace), 506 (criminal intimidation), and 508 (act caused by inducing a person to believe that he will be rendered an object of Divine displeasure) of the Indian Penal Code based on a complaint filed by a local congress leader Sundaresh.
Sadhvi Pragya asked the crowd that if they don't keep weapons, they should at least sharpen the vegetable knives at their homes to cut the enemy’s head "if the opportunity arises".
The BJP MP, known for her controversial remarks, also made claims about 'love jihad' and spoke about the murder of Shivamogga Bajrang Dal activist Harsha earlier this year.
Promoting 'Nafrat Ka Bazaar': Twitter Calls Her Out
Reacting to her comments, an uproar arose on Twitter with people calling for the Karnataka police to take action against the MP.
Who Is Sadhvi Pragya?
A BJP MP from Bhopal, Thakur is one of the prime accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast. She is currently out on bail on health grounds.
She has previously made controversial remarks such as calling Nathuram Godse a patriot and saying that Hemant Karkare, the former Anti-Terrorism Squad chief who was martyred in the 2008 Mumbai attacks, died because he had arrested her.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)