Apologise for Pragya Thakur's remarks against 26/11 martyr Karkare: Congress asks Modi

The Congress Friday demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi apologise and take action against BJP's Bhopal candidate Pragya Singh Thakur who has termed 26/11 martyr Hemant Karkare "anti-national" and claimed he died because she had cursed him for "torturing" her.

Karkare, who died fighting terrorists during the 2008 Mumbai attacks, gave his life protecting India and he must be treated with respect, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi tweeted.

Party chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said BJP's "anti-national face" stands exposed with Thakur's view towards soldiers who sacrificed their life for the country.

He alleged the prime minister was behind the remarks made against Karkare by Thakur.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi should apologise to the nation. The anti-national face of BJP now stands exposed before the people of India. They have crossed all limits by showing their disrespect towards martyrs.

"The prime minister should take strict action against Pragya Thakur for her remarks against Hemant Karkare," Surjewala said.

Surjewala also said the BJP has committed an "unforgivable sin" by using words like "monster" and "anti-national" for Karkare, who had caught terrorist Ajmal Kasab.

"The BJP has committed an unforgivable sin of calling 26/11 martyr anti-national and using terms like monster against him. It is proved that BJP is the friend of terrorist Ajmal Kasab, who was hanged under the Congress rule," he said.

On Thursday, addressing BJP workers in Bhopal, Thakur claimed that Karkare, former Mumbai Anti-Terrorism Squad chief, had inflicted the worst kind of abuses and torture on her in custody in connection with the Malegaon blasts and that the officer died due to her curse.

Condemning her remarks, the Congress leader said an inquiry should be launched against Thakur and alleged that the prime minister was behind these remarks by her.

"Modiji, we know that you make people say such things. Apologise to the country. From 26/11 Mumbai terror attack to Pulwama attack, if you (Modi) have respect for the sacrifices made by the soldiers, then launch an investigation against Pragya Thakur," he said.

Pragya Thakur is the BJP candidate for the Bhopal Lok Sabha seat against Congress heavyweight and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Digvijaya Singh.

She had said Karkare committed an "anti-national" act by falsely implicating her in the Malegaon blasts case and keeping her behind bars without evidence.

"It was treason. It was against religion," she said.

"He tortured me and subjected me to harsh abuse which was unbearable. I told him he will be destroyed. A little over a month later 'sutak' (ritual observed after death of a family member) was going to start...just over a month later, he was shot dead by terrorists and the inauspicious period ended," she said.

Thakur is an accused in the Malegaon terror blasts case, which was led by Karkare.