Sadhvi Pragya Thakur gets notice for Babri talk

The Election Commission on Sunday asked Sadhvi Pragya Thakur to explain her controversial comments on the Babri Masjid demolition. The EC has sought a reply from the Bhopal BJP candidate in 24 hours.

This is the second notice to Sadhvi Pragya, an accused in the 2008 Malegaon bomb blasts case. The first notice was issued to her after she said 26/11 martyr Hemant Karkare was killed as she had cursed him for "torturing her". She later retracted the remark.

Referring to the Babri Masjid demolition during an interview, Sadhvi Pragya had said on Saturday that she was among those people who targeted the disputed structure in Ayodhya in 1992.

"I climbed atop the structure to break it. I am tremendously proud that God gave me the opportunity and strength to do it. And I did it. We wiped off a blot on the country. Now we will build the Ram temple there," she had said.

Taking suo motu cognizance of her comments, the Election Commission issued her a show-cause notice. Its Madhya Pradesh head VL Kantha Rao said, "We have sought reply from her."

Sadhvi Pragya is pitted against the Congress's Digvijay Singh in Bhopal Lok Sabha constituency.