‘Show respect’: Rahul slams Sadhvi Pragya remark on Hemant Karkare

New Delhi, Apr 19: Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Friday cautioned against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) politician Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur for disrespecting a person who served the nation at the cost of his life.

"Hemant Karkare gave his life protecting India. He must be treated with respect," Gandhi said in a tweet.

Gandhi's comments come hours after BJP's Bhopal candidate Sadhvi Pragya creating a furore with her remarks that she cursed Karkare for the alleged threats, torture and miserable treatment during her custody.

Karkare, along with two other senior police officers, was killed while fighting terrorists during the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai in November 2008.

The BJP on Wednesday had fielded Thakur from the Bhopal parliamentary seat, where she is set to have a direct contest with Congress heavyweight and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Digvijay Singh.

Out on bail, Pragya has been discharged by a court on charges under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) in the case, but is still facing trial under other criminal provisions, including the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.