Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'Controversial candidate' that was published in Newsband

Controversial candidate

Pragya Singh Thakur’s candidacy on behalf of the BJP in the Bhopal Lok Sabha constituency stands out as exceptionally controversial. She is arraigned as the prime accused and principal conspirator behind the September 2008 blast at Malegaon, in which six persons were killed.

She was not prominent as a BJP member until she was named the candidate for Bhopal, where she will take on senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh. An electoral candidate has been created out of a key terror suspect.

Election law as it stands today does not bar one facing criminal charges from contesting, except those convicted of specified classes of offences, or those that entail a sentence of at least two years. The sole purpose of fielding Pragya Thakur is to "bolster the BJP's narrative that there has never been any 'Hindu' terror group." While this argument holds good to an extent, it still seems to put the BJP on the defensive. 

Aggressive Hindutva nationalism is rather keen to demonstrate that it is ready, post-Balakot, to teach the "others/terrorists" (insiders & outsiders) in the language that they understand. Hence the totem Thakur, who is so well equipped with bombs as well as (Vedic) "curse" power. 

Now, the charges have been already framed against Sonia & Raul in NHL /tax evasion cases. Country would certainly welcome an amendment to the effect proposed by this article if it can largely eliminate the serious suspects from entering legislative areas. However, in the case of Sadhvi, though admittedly we don't have enough material to conclusively say one way or the other, the book by RVS Mani casts a lot of doubts on the manipulative machinations of those in power in UPA days using police officers as tools. They used similar officers even to malign Narendra Modi, Amit Shah & several others too. We know that a dishonest corrupt Government can have many agendas to subvert normal processes & to drive a preferred narrative in order to help them create issues that can mask their ulterior motives & loots. Viewed in the context of the massive scams in UPA era & bunglings in investigations at that time, it would be logical to assume Sadhvi was framed for a purpose by these elements.

Wasn't she acquitted of all the cooked up charges framed against her by the court of law? She has already faced enough mental and physical torture during her immoral detention in Jail. Stop hounding her even after her acquittal.

BJP in this instance deliberately made this choice to provoke Congress. Congress has been using the Saffron terror to point to Hindu extremists by using religion to target Pragya Singh. Congress stands to lose out.

As long as policies of parties stand in line behind personalities, whoever is a crowd puller takes prominence. Voters are to blame for this, not parties that field them nor the candidates with dubious reputations.

There is the assumption that either of the two national parties, the BJP and the INC are interested in good governance ensuring peace and prosperity in the country. But there are many who question as to whether they are just interested in grabbing power and hold on to it at all costs.