EC orders FIR against Pragya Thakur over Babri Masjid demolition remark

District Election Officer and Collector Sudam Khade on Monday directed the police to file an FIR against BJP Lok Sabha candidate Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur for her remark on the demolition of Babri Masjid in Ayodhya.

This came after the Election Officer found her statement in violation of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) which is in force during polling.

The BJP has fielded Thakur, an accused in the 2008 Malegaon bomb blast, from Bhopal parliamentary constituency.

Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Bhopal Sanjay Kumar Srivastava told ANI, "Pragya Singh Thakur was issued notice by district election officer for her comment on Babri Masjid's demolition and her response to it was not satisfactory. Therefore, an FIR has been registered against her for violation of the model code of conduct."

The EC had issued a show-cause notice to Pragya, who is currently out on bail, over her remark made during an interview to a news channel.

Reacting to this, Pragya told ANI, "It is a legal matter and my legal team is looking into it."

The Babri Masjid, built by Mughal emperor Babur in 1578 in Ayodhya, was on December 6, 1992, pulled down allegedly by a group of Hindu activists, claiming that the mosque was constructed after demolishing a Ram temple that stood there.

Thakur, who had joined the BJP on April 16, had accepted that she received two notices from the Election Commission, including on the issue of Ram temple. "I will respond to it lawfully," she had said.

Polls in Bhopal will be held on May 12, and counting of votes will take place on May 23.