Hyderabad: MIM president Asaduddin Owaisi slammed the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for nominating Pragya Singh Thakur, accused in the Malegaon blasts, who said that former chief of Mumbai Anti-Terrorist Squad Hemant Karkare was killed in the Mumbai terror attacks because she had cursed him.
Mr Owaisi was addressing an election meeting in Auranga-bad, Maharashtra, in support of MIM candidate Imtiyaz Jaleel. The meeting observed silence for a minute to pay homage to Karkare. He likened the silence to the calm before the storm.
He said those in uniform who are serving the country were ready to sacrifice their lives. He asked the people at the meeting, “Will you would support a party whose candidate cursing on one of your officers who laid his life for the country?”
“Those who are protecting the country are the police, the military and paramilitary forces. They are performing their duties to ensure fair and free elections in India,” Mr Owaisi said.
Mr Owaisi said the candidate put up by Mr Modi had dared to say that she had cursed Karkare which had resulted in his being killed. “We condemn the statement of Pragya Thakur. She talks nonsense,” Mr Owaisi said and asked asked whether a person who had laid his life for the nation should be cursed.
He said the real face of Mr Modi is exposed by the statement of Ms Thakur.
He said that external affairs minister Sushma Sawaraj had debunked Mr Modi’s claims on the Balakot attacks by stating that no Pakistan national or Army personnel had been killed during the air strikes. “She was perhaps waiting for a right time and took her revenge on Modi. Everyone feels suffocated in the BJP,” the MIM president told the meeting. Mr. Owaisi raised slogans praising Karkare and condemning Mr Modi, Ms Thakur and terrorists.
