NCP workers stage protest against Pragya Singh Thakur

NCP activists Saturday staged a protest here in Maharashtra condemning BJP leader sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur's statement on Maharashtra ATS chief Hemant Karkare, who died in the line of duty while repulsing terrorists in Mumbai in 2008.

Thakur is the BJP candidate from Bhopal Lok Sabha constituency in Madhya Pradesh.

Earlier in the day, scores ofNCP activists, led by party leader Jitendra Awhad, gathered at the General Arunkumar Vaidya chowk, and raised slogans condemning Thakur and praising Karkare.

Thakur, an accused in the 2008 Malegaon bomb blast case and currently out on bail, had said that Karkare died in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack because she had "cursed" him for "torturing" her.

She apologised Friday after her statement caused a furore.

The ATS under Karkare had probed the bomb blast case before the National Investigation Agency (NIA) took over.

Awhad alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was "backing" the statement made by the Hindutva leader.

"Calling Thakur a 'sadhavi' (a female seer) is akin to insulting Sahdus. Seers have fought against casteist and religious discrimination," he said.

Taking a dig, the NCP MLA said had Thakur should have cursed terrorists in Pakistan, if she believes that her curse is so powerful.