Although Sadhvi Pragya withdrew her statement, it shows her mentality: Ahmed Patel

Updated: Saturday, April 20, 2019, 14:12 [IST]

New Delhi, Apr 20: The Congress is leaving no stone unturned to corner the BJP over Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur's remark on late ATS chief Hemant Karkare, who was killed in action during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack. Senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel on Saturday said making such statements against an officer who sacrificed his life fighting terrorists is not right.

Sadhvi Pragya, an accused in the Malegaon blast case and BJP's candidate from Bhopal for Lok Sabha elections, stirred a major controversy with her remarks on Karkare. Pragya said that she had cursed Karkare just a month before his death in the 26/11 Mumbai attack. She boasted that Hemant Karkare died because she had "cursed" him.

"It is a party's right to field any candidate they want for elections, I would not like to comment on that but saying something against an officer who sacrificed himself fighting terrorism is not right. Although she withdrew her statement it shows her mentality," Patel told news agency ANI.

Further speaking on Lok Sabha elections 2019, Patel said, "We are not only hopeful but also very confident that BJP will lose. We will get good results in Gujarat too, we will cross double digit. On 23rd May when the election results come, BJP will no longer be in the government."

Hemant Karkare died fighting terrorists during the November 26, 2008 attack in Mumbai in which 166 people were killed.

Later on Friday, Thakur said that she is "taking back her words", after a massive backlash. In a statement, she said, "I felt that the enemies of the country were being benefited from it, therefore I take back my statement and apologise for it, it was my personal pain."

As the chief of Maharashtra's anti-terror squad, Hemant Karkare had investigated Sadhvi Pragya in connection with the blasts in Malegaon.

Pragya Thakur was arrested by Hemant Karkare with six other accused in connection with Malegaon blast case in which six people were killed and over 100 injured.