Undeterred by Two EC Notices in a Day, Sadhvi Pragya Pledges to Build Grand Ram Temple in Ayodhya

Bhopal: Unfazed by two Election Commission notices in one day for her contentious remarks, BJP's Bhopal candidate Sadhvi Pragya Thakur on Sunday re-affirmed her earlier statement on Babri Mosque demolition saying she would build a ‘grand Ram temple in Ayodhya’.

On Saturday Thakur courted controversy when she said that she had ‘wiped off the blot from country’ by demolishing the Babri mosque. She was later served a notice by the Election Commission.

“Maine dhanche par chadhkar toda tha. Mujhe garv hai ki ishwar ne shakti di ki maine ye kaam kar diya aur ab wahin bhawya ram mandir banega, (I climbed the structure and broke it. I am proud that God gave me the strength to do it. Now the Ram Temple will be built there),” Thakur had said on Babri mosque demolition.

Later in the day, she had made a similar statement on Twitter. “Why feel sad on demolishing Babri masjid. Ram is not only my idol but a symbol of faith for crores of Hindus. History shows that Mir Baqi had altered the shape in the temple and renamed it as Babri masjid. The ruins of a temple were recovered from the site,” she said.

Thakur on Sunday affirmed that she had claimed her involvement in the Babri demolition. “Lord Ram is my idol and I would build a grand Ram temple in Ayodhya,” she said.

“What disputed structure? I would build a grand Ram temple there,” she went on to add. She said she had received the EC notice and would reply to it as per law.

The BJP candidate from Bhopal was summoned to the party office where former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan reportedly asked her to refrain from making such statements.

Thakur drew flak on Friday after she said that ATS Mumbai chief Hemant Karkare had died as she had cursed him. Karkare was killed during the 26/11 combat operations in Mumbai. Thakur accused him of torturing her while she was in custody for her involvement in 2008 Malegaon blasts. She later apologised for her statement.

Posters have been put up around the BJP office in Bhopal with ‘Get Well Soon’ message for Thakur over her remarks on 26/11 hero.