By PTI
BHOPAL: Lashing out at a Madhya Pradesh Congress legislator over posters that declared her to be missing during the COVID-19 pandemic, BJP MP from Bhopal Pragya Thakur has said “such Congressmen and traitors” have no place in India.
After her outburst during a Dussehra program held here on Friday night, Congress MLA from Bhopal South P C Sharma, who was present, left in a huff.
During the program, Thakur also took a veiled swipe at Congress veteran Digvijaya Singh, saying a person can not become pious only by undertaking Narmada Parikrama, a pilgrimage along the banks of the Narmada river.
“Animals also have feelings. When its offspring dies or falls sick, an animal cries. But these people are worse than animals. (They) Do not treat the sick as sick. At first, they tortured (me) and when I got sick, they put up missing posters about me,” Thakur told the gathering at MVM Ground here.
“Shame on such people that they become MLAs. Such people do not deserve to become MLAs, but they did. Such people call themselves Hindu, but they are insensitive. They attack us. They weep over those who kill us. Shame on such Congressmen, shame on such traitors and I say there is no place for them in India. Only patriots will remain in India,” she said.
The nation is with Hindus as “they are patriots,” Thakur added.
“If patriots understand their strength, then the country’s borders will be protected, India will be integrated and the country will achieve glory,” said the Member of Parliament who is an accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case.
Thakur also said no ‘adharmi’ (heretic) can become pious by undertaking Narmada Parikrama, an apparent reference to Digvijaya Singh.
The senior Congress leader had undertaken the 3,300-km pilgrimage in 2017.
Thakur, who defeated Singh in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, has targeted the Congress leader in the past too.
Congress MLA Sharma, who left the event halfway through after Thakur attacked him in her speech, told PTI on Saturday, “It was a social platform and not a political one where she made political comments.
It was a Dussehra program, but she insulted those who undertake Narmada Parikrama, whoever her target may be.
This is condemnable.
“She said `missing person’ posters were put up. The people of Bhopal were in trouble for two years, lacking hospital beds and injections during the pandemic. She is Bhopal MP and the people were demanding that she provide these facilities,” he said.
Asked about her comment `Congressmen do not have a place in the country,’ Sharma said this will be decided by the Constitution and not by Thakur.
“Congress got independence for the country and these people were with the British at that time. She is trying to vitiate the atmosphere as she is playing kabaddi and taking part in Garba after being out on bail on health grounds. The court should take cognizance of this,” the Congress leader added.
Videos showing Thakur playing kabaddi and taking part in a Garba dance had gone viral recently.
Thakur, who spent several years in jail after being arrested in the Malegaon blast case, had alleged earlier that she was illegally detained and tortured in custody.
BJP leader Rahul Kothari, who tried to stop Sharma when he left the program, said the Congress legislator should have stayed.
“Why did he sit on stage in the first place when he felt ashamed? The Bhopal MP didn’t name anybody,” he said.
Congress workers led by Bhopal district Congress chief Kailash Mishra, meanwhile, staged a protest against Thakur on Saturday, alleging that she insulted the devotees who undertake Narmada Parikrama.
Religious leader Namdeo Das Tyagi, popularly known as `Computer Baba’, who had held a post with the minister of state rank during the previous Congress regime in MP, also decried Thakur’s statement referring to Narmada Parikrama.
She should tender apology to the devotees who undertake this pilgrimage, he said, threatening to launch a protest against her.