EC cracks the whip, bars Pragya Thakur from campaigning for 72 hours for Karkare, Babri remarks

"We removed a blot from the country. We went to demolish the structure. I feel extremely proud that God gave me this opportunity and I could do that. We will make sure a Ram temple is constructed at that site," Thakur told the channel.

Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur (C) is welcomed during a rally before filing her nomination for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the parliamentary elections in Bhopal on April 23, 2019. PIC/AFP,

New Delhi: Cracking the whip, the Election Commission on Wednesday barred BJP Bhopal candidate Pragya Singh Thakur from campaigning for her hate comments.  Thakur has been barred for 72 hours. The nationwide ban comes into force at 6 am Thursday, the poll panel said. Thakur's remark that she is proud of Babri Masjid's demolition and that ATS chief Hemant Karkare had died because she cursed him for torturing her were found violative of the Model Code of Conduct. The Election Commission on April 22 had ordered registering an FIR against her for Babri remarks. The EC on Sunday issued a show cause notice to Thakur for her remarks made in an interview to a television channel. Thakur had told the TV channel that she was among the people who demolished the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya on December 6, 1992 and that she was "proud" of it. "We removed a blot from the country. We went to demolish the structure. I feel extremely proud that God gave me this opportunity and I could do that. We will make sure a Ram temple is constructed at that site," Thakur told the channel. In her explanation on Monday, Thakur said, "I did not use any language inciting communal feelings, nor did I give any statement hurting the feelings of any religion, community or tribe. My statement expressed the voice of my conscience. I believe in 'Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah, Sarve Santu Niramayah". Not convinced by her explanation, District Returning Officer Sudaam Khaade ordered registering of an FIR against her. The EC earlier issued a notice against her after she bragged that former ATS Chief Hemant Karkare was killed by terrorists during the 26/11 attack in Mumbai because she "cursed" him for torturing her while in custody. Her comments evoked massive outrage forcing her to apologise and admit that Karkare was a "martyr". The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) distanced itself from her remark while the Congress demanded Prime Minister Narendra Modi to apologise. The 49-year-old is an accused in the Malegaon blasts case in which six people died and around 100 were injured in 2006. She is currently out on bail and her candidature has been challenged in court by the father of one of the men killed in the blast. (With additional information from IANS)