The 2008 Malegaon blast case, in which all seven accused were acquitted on Thursday (July 31), was one of the longest terror trials in India. Among the accused was Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, a woman ascetic who, a decade after the case, went on to become a parliamentarian from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The blast drew extra attention because a woman was among the accused in a so-called cases of 'saffron terror', a reference to Hindutva organisations allegedly involved in violence.The 2008 blast during Ramzan and ahead of Navratri in the Malegaon town of the western Maharashtra state killed six people and injured nearly 100. It became an instance of alleged Hindu terror.After the National Investigation Agency (NIA) declared the verdict on Thursday, the 55-year-old Thakur said 'saffron has won today', implying that the Hindutva ideology of which she is an adherent was on trial, not just her.<h2>'Was branded as terrorist for being a sanyasi': Pragya Thakur breaks down in court</h2>At the NIA court in Mumbai, Pragya said she was "branded a terrorist for being a sanyasi" or ascetic. She painted her court ordeal of nearly two decades as a spiritual struggle. "It was Bhagwan [God] who fought this case for me.” “I haven’t won, Saffron has. Whoever called Bhagwa [saffron] a terrorist, God will never forgive them,” she added.<h2>Why was Pragya an accused in Malegaon blast? What the court said in verdict</h2>The reason why Pragya Thakur got caught up in the case was an allegation that the bike in which the bomb was planted belonged to her. But in its verdict, the NIA court said there was no evidence to show Pragya was the owner of the LML Freedom bike allegedly used in the attack.The judge noted that although the blast was proven to have taken place, the prosecution failed to link the explosives to the bike supposedly owned by Thakur: "The motorbike's chassis number was wiped out and engine number is in doubt," it said.It cited key gaps in evidence, including inconsistencies in chargesheets, lack of link between the bomb and the recovered motorcycle, mishandled evidence, and no proof the bike was registered in Pragya’s name.&nbsp;The court said the acquittal was due to lack of credible evidence, not proof of innocence.<h2>Pragya Thakur's 17-year court trial over Malegaon blast: ‘The face of Hindu terror’&nbsp;</h2>Thursday's ruling is a possible end to the 17-year-long trial for Thakur. Once labelled the face of 'Hindu terror,' &nbsp;she was accused of arranging manpower for the attack, while Lt Col Prasad Purohit was accused of supplying the explosives. The duo, along with five others, were acquitted on Thursday.<h2>'Ruined my whole life': Pragya was arrested, allegedly tortured</h2>After the verdict, Pragya told the judge: "I said this from the very beginning that if people are called for investigation, there should be a basis behind that. I was called, arrested and tortured. This ruined my whole life.&nbsp; "I was living a sage's life, but I was made an accused, and no one was willing to stand beside us," she said, adding she is alive because she is an ascetic.<h2>The love for bike-riding that became the bane for Pragya Thakur</h2>Pragya was known to ride bikes in her younger years. And it was a bike at the centre of the blast case that led to her arrest on 23 October 2008. The bike used in the blast was found with tampered chassis and engine numbers. The forensic investigators allegedly restored the engine number and linked it to Thakur, leading to her arrest.Thakur has claimed that she was tortured in custody. Her claims were probed in 2014 by the National Human Rights Commission, which found no supporting evidence.&nbsp;<h2>Pragya Thakur remained controversial in spite of being Malegaon blast accused</h2>Born on 2 February 1970, Pragya has been a firebrand leader of the BJP and controversial for her statements. She continued her activism even as she was fighting the court case against her.She is known for making caustic remarks. In 2019, she made headlines for claiming that Hemant Karkare, the Mumbai Anti-Terror Squad chief who died in the 26/11 terror attacks of 2008, was killed due to her curse. "I said, 'tera sarvanash hoga' [ your ruin will come]. Just after a month, terrorists killed him."&nbsp;But she retracted the comment amid criticism, &nbsp;and called Karkare a ‘martyr’.<h2>Pragya Thakur won the election despite Malegaon blast case</h2>Despite the controversies associated with the Malegaon blast case, she contested general elections and was elected to Parliament in 2019, defeating veteran Congress leader Digvijaya Singh.She continued to make public outbursts, including a praise of Nathuram Godse - the assassin of India's founding father Mahatma Gandhi - &nbsp;as &nbsp;a "patriot,". This prompted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to respond, saying he would 'never forgive those who insult' Gandhi.&nbsp;

The Malegaon blast drew extra attention because Pragya Thakur was a rare instance of a woman becoming an accused in a so-called 'saffron terror' case.

The 2008 Malegaon blast case, in which all seven accused were acquitted on Thursday (July 31), was one of the longest terror trials in India. Among the accused was Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, a woman ascetic who, a decade after the case, went on to become a parliamentarian from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The blast drew extra attention because a woman was among the accused in a so-called cases of 'saffron terror', a reference to Hindutva organisations allegedly involved in violence. The 2008 blast during Ramzan and ahead of Navratri in the Malegaon town of the western Maharashtra state killed six people and injured nearly 100. It became an instance of alleged Hindu terror. After the National Investigation Agency (NIA) declared the verdict on Thursday, the 55-year-old Thakur said 'saffron has won today', implying that the Hindutva ideology of which she is an adherent was on trial, not just her. 'Was branded as terrorist for being a sanyasi': Pragya Thakur breaks down in court At the NIA court in Mumbai, Pragya said she was "branded a terrorist for being a sanyasi" or ascetic. She painted her court ordeal of nearly two decades as a spiritual struggle. "It was Bhagwan [God] who fought this case for me.” “I haven’t won, Saffron has. Whoever called Bhagwa [saffron] a terrorist, God will never forgive them,” she added. Why was Pragya an accused in Malegaon blast? What the court said in verdict The reason why Pragya Thakur got caught up in the case was an allegation that the bike in which the bomb was planted belonged to her. But in its verdict, the NIA court said there was no evidence to show Pragya was the owner of the LML Freedom bike allegedly used in the attack. The judge noted that although the blast was proven to have taken place, the prosecution failed to link the explosives to the bike supposedly owned by Thakur: "The motorbike's chassis number was wiped out and engine number is in doubt," it said. It cited key gaps in evidence, including inconsistencies in chargesheets, lack of link between the bomb and the recovered motorcycle, mishandled evidence, and no proof the bike was registered in Pragya’s name. The court said the acquittal was due to lack of credible evidence, not proof of innocence. Pragya Thakur's 17-year court trial over Malegaon blast: ‘The face of Hindu terror’ Thursday's ruling is a possible end to the 17-year-long trial for Thakur. Once labelled the face of 'Hindu terror,' she was accused of arranging manpower for the attack, while Lt Col Prasad Purohit was accused of supplying the explosives. The duo, along with five others, were acquitted on Thursday. 'Ruined my whole life': Pragya was arrested, allegedly tortured After the verdict, Pragya told the judge: "I said this from the very beginning that if people are called for investigation, there should be a basis behind that. I was called, arrested and tortured. This ruined my whole life. "I was living a sage's life, but I was made an accused, and no one was willing to stand beside us," she said, adding she is alive because she is an ascetic. The love for bike-riding that became the bane for Pragya Thakur Pragya was known to ride bikes in her younger years. And it was a bike at the centre of the blast case that led to her arrest on 23 October 2008. The bike used in the blast was found with tampered chassis and engine numbers. The forensic investigators allegedly restored the engine number and linked it to Thakur, leading to her arrest. Thakur has claimed that she was tortured in custody. Her claims were probed in 2014 by the National Human Rights Commission, which found no supporting evidence. Pragya Thakur remained controversial in spite of being Malegaon blast accused Born on 2 February 1970, Pragya has been a firebrand leader of the BJP and controversial for her statements. She continued her activism even as she was fighting the court case against her. She is known for making caustic remarks. In 2019, she made headlines for claiming that Hemant Karkare, the Mumbai Anti-Terror Squad chief who died in the 26/11 terror attacks of 2008, was killed due to her curse. "I said, 'tera sarvanash hoga' [ your ruin will come]. Just after a month, terrorists killed him." But she retracted the comment amid criticism, and called Karkare a ‘martyr’. Pragya Thakur won the election despite Malegaon blast case Despite the controversies associated with the Malegaon blast case, she contested general elections and was elected to Parliament in 2019, defeating veteran Congress leader Digvijaya Singh. She continued to make public outbursts, including a praise of Nathuram Godse - the assassin of India's founding father Mahatma Gandhi - as a "patriot,". This prompted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to respond, saying he would 'never forgive those who insult' Gandhi.

The Malegaon blast drew extra attention because Pragya Thakur was a rare instance of a woman becoming an accused in a so-called 'saffron terror' case.

'Saffron won today': How Sadhvi Pragya Thakur, acquitted in Malegaon blast, went from 'sanyasi to being branded terrorist'

BJP MP from Bhopal, Pragya Singh Thakur on Friday reiterated in Lok Sabha that she had not called Mahatma Gandhi's assassin Nathuram Godse a "deshbhakt" and expressed apology if someone had been hurt by her remarks.

Pragya, who is known for making controversial remarks, apologised for the second time in Lower House after the opposition members expressed dissatisfaction with her statement made earlier in the day.

"On November 27 during the discussion on SPG bill, I did not call Nathuram Godse 'deshbhakt', did not take his name. Even then if someone has been hurt, I express regret and seek an apology," she said earlier in the day.

However, Thakur had to be checked by Speaker amid interruptions by opposition members after she started speaking.

"I have tolerated many atrocities given by enemies..." she said in the beginning.

The second apology from Thakur came after the meeting of leaders in the House. In her apology in the House earlier, Pragya also raked up of being called terrorist by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.

Gandhi had on November 27 tweeted, "Terrorist Pragya calls terrorist Godse, a patriot. A sad day, in the history of India`s Parliament."

"If any of my remarks in the House have hurt anyone, I express regret for that and apologise. But I also want to say that my words in the House have been twisted and presented wrongly. My remarks had different context which were wrongly presented. The way my words have been twisted, it is condemnable," she said.

"I respect the service done by Mahatma Gandhi for the country. I want to tell the House that a member has publicly called me a terrorist. Despite the conspiracies of the then government against me, no charge has been proved against me. Without charge having been proved, calling me a terrorist is against the law. Calling me terrorist without charges having been proved in an attempt to insult me as a woman, as a "sanyasi", as an MP, is an attack on my dignity," she said.

She alleged the then government had hatched conspiracy to torture her mentally.

The remarks had led to a ruckus in the House with opposition members strongly protesting her remarks. Thakur had made the remarks, which were now expunged when DMK member was speaking on SPG amendment bill in Lok Sabha on Wednesday.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

BJP MP from Bhopal, Pragya Singh Thakur on Friday reiterated in Lok Sabha that she had not called Mahatma Gandhi's assassin Nathuram Godse a "deshbhakt" and expressed apology if someone had been hurt by her remarks.

BJP MP from Bhopal, Pragya Singh Thakur on Friday reiterated in Lok Sabha that she had not called Mahatma Gandhi's assassin Nathuram Godse a "deshbhakt" and expressed apology if someone had been hurt by her remarks. Pragya, who is known for making controversial remarks, apologised for the second time in Lower House after the opposition members expressed dissatisfaction with her statement made earlier in the day. "On November 27 during the discussion on SPG bill, I did not call Nathuram Godse 'deshbhakt', did not take his name. Even then if someone has been hurt, I express regret and seek an apology," she said earlier in the day. However, Thakur had to be checked by Speaker amid interruptions by opposition members after she started speaking. "I have tolerated many atrocities given by enemies..." she said in the beginning. The second apology from Thakur came after the meeting of leaders in the House. In her apology in the House earlier, Pragya also raked up of being called terrorist by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. Gandhi had on November 27 tweeted, "Terrorist Pragya calls terrorist Godse, a patriot. A sad day, in the history of India`s Parliament." "If any of my remarks in the House have hurt anyone, I express regret for that and apologise. But I also want to say that my words in the House have been twisted and presented wrongly. My remarks had different context which were wrongly presented. The way my words have been twisted, it is condemnable," she said. "I respect the service done by Mahatma Gandhi for the country. I want to tell the House that a member has publicly called me a terrorist. Despite the conspiracies of the then government against me, no charge has been proved against me. Without charge having been proved, calling me a terrorist is against the law. Calling me terrorist without charges having been proved in an attempt to insult me as a woman, as a "sanyasi", as an MP, is an attack on my dignity," she said. She alleged the then government had hatched conspiracy to torture her mentally. The remarks had led to a ruckus in the House with opposition members strongly protesting her remarks. Thakur had made the remarks, which were now expunged when DMK member was speaking on SPG amendment bill in Lok Sabha on Wednesday.

Pragya Thakur apologies second time in Lok Sabha, reiterates didn't call Godse 'deshbhakt'

This is not the first time that BJP government and its topmost leadership is embarrassed by the statements made by MP Pragya Thakur. Pragya was elected in 2019 Lok Sabha election and she was projected by BJP as a victim of UPA’s agenda against Hindus in the country.&nbsp;

Pragya was shown as a victim of a regime which was more invested in minorities than the majority community.

The politics of Pragya yielded rich dividends to BJP despite gaffes made her during the campaign. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had to make a statement that he would never forgive Pragya. I do not know whether she was forgiven but certainly, things she said were promptly forgotten by the ruling dispensation.

The top leadership continued to reaffirm its faith in Gandhi but ensured that Pragya Singh Thakur was politically accommodated. She was accommodated as a member in one of the Parliamentary Committees. Her honeymoon continued till she dropped another bomb in Lok Sabha by calling Nathuram Godse a patriot. It shocked everyone. Her statement shocked BJP more as party understood the damage her statement has made. She damaged Narendra Modi.

The biggest political service which Narendra Modi has done to RSS and BJP is ending the stigma that RSS philosophy was behind Gandhi’s assassination. Modi broke those mental shackles by adopting Gandhi very creatively.

It is was a big departure in Indian politics. Narendra Modi appropriated Gandhi in a way that it left Congress ideologically high and dry. He adopted his campaigns and ensured public participation. He brought Gandhi out of the classrooms and seminar circuit.

Pragya by making that statement in Lok Sabha killed that six degree of separation. Pragya is a terror accused. Till the case continues, she remains an accused. She can also be a victim of a campaign but now where it brings Gandhi into the picture. It was a political battle between Congress and BJP. Nothing more and nothing less.

In past, she was projected as a victim of minority politics. Today she is an assault on Hindu sensibilities. Mahatma’s assassination in the Hindu psyche is akin to patricide and Pragya by trying to eulogise Nathuram Godse has put the spotlight on BJP.

Is hatred of Gandhi fundamental to the ideology of Hindutva? Does Pragya’s thought represent BJP’s mainstream? If the thought does not represent BJP’s mainstream, then how come she gets away with a light penalty? Lastly, if the government is so committed to the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi then how come Pragya continues to remain in the same august house?

These questions will need to be answered by BJP and RSS. The government will need to take a clear stand on Pragya Singh Thakur and Nathuram Godse. Nathuram cannot be wished away as a misguided patriot. He nursed hatred against Gandhi and believed that he gave away more to Muslims. Token punishment will not work now as she again crossed a red line in the sacred house.

BJP under Modi has evolved into a big party. Prime Minister Narendra Modi must ask Pragya Singh Thakur to step down if he really wants every Indian to believe that his commitment towards Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophy and life is real and resolute. It will only make him tall.

&nbsp;(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) &nbsp;

This is not the first time that BJP government and its topmost leadership is embarrassed by the statements made by MP Pragya Thakur. Pragya was elected in 2019 Lok Sabha election and she was projected by BJP as a victim of UPA’s agenda against Hindus in the country.

This is not the first time that BJP government and its topmost leadership is embarrassed by the statements made by MP Pragya Thakur. Pragya was elected in 2019 Lok Sabha election and she was projected by BJP as a victim of UPA’s agenda against Hindus in the country. Pragya was shown as a victim of a regime which was more invested in minorities than the majority community. The politics of Pragya yielded rich dividends to BJP despite gaffes made her during the campaign. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had to make a statement that he would never forgive Pragya. I do not know whether she was forgiven but certainly, things she said were promptly forgotten by the ruling dispensation. The top leadership continued to reaffirm its faith in Gandhi but ensured that Pragya Singh Thakur was politically accommodated. She was accommodated as a member in one of the Parliamentary Committees. Her honeymoon continued till she dropped another bomb in Lok Sabha by calling Nathuram Godse a patriot. It shocked everyone. Her statement shocked BJP more as party understood the damage her statement has made. She damaged Narendra Modi. The biggest political service which Narendra Modi has done to RSS and BJP is ending the stigma that RSS philosophy was behind Gandhi’s assassination. Modi broke those mental shackles by adopting Gandhi very creatively. It is was a big departure in Indian politics. Narendra Modi appropriated Gandhi in a way that it left Congress ideologically high and dry. He adopted his campaigns and ensured public participation. He brought Gandhi out of the classrooms and seminar circuit. Pragya by making that statement in Lok Sabha killed that six degree of separation. Pragya is a terror accused. Till the case continues, she remains an accused. She can also be a victim of a campaign but now where it brings Gandhi into the picture. It was a political battle between Congress and BJP. Nothing more and nothing less. In past, she was projected as a victim of minority politics. Today she is an assault on Hindu sensibilities. Mahatma’s assassination in the Hindu psyche is akin to patricide and Pragya by trying to eulogise Nathuram Godse has put the spotlight on BJP. Is hatred of Gandhi fundamental to the ideology of Hindutva? Does Pragya’s thought represent BJP’s mainstream? If the thought does not represent BJP’s mainstream, then how come she gets away with a light penalty? Lastly, if the government is so committed to the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi then how come Pragya continues to remain in the same august house? These questions will need to be answered by BJP and RSS. The government will need to take a clear stand on Pragya Singh Thakur and Nathuram Godse. Nathuram cannot be wished away as a misguided patriot. He nursed hatred against Gandhi and believed that he gave away more to Muslims. Token punishment will not work now as she again crossed a red line in the sacred house. BJP under Modi has evolved into a big party. Prime Minister Narendra Modi must ask Pragya Singh Thakur to step down if he really wants every Indian to believe that his commitment towards Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophy and life is real and resolute. It will only make him tall. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Pragya Singh Thakur should be made to resign from Parliament

BJP MP from Bhopal, Pragya Singh Thakur on Friday asserted that Ram Temple will be built in Ayodhya in the same manner by which Article 370 was abrogated from Jammu and Kashmir.

Thakur, who is known for making controversial statements, said, "Ram Mandir will be built in Ayodhya, the same way Article 370 was removed from Jammu and Kashmir. Nothing will happen to me till the construction of the shrine in Ayodhya."

"Everyone believes now that removal of Article 370 has united the country. Now a grand Ram Temple will be built and we all witness it soon," she said while speaking to reporters in Indore.

Recently, Uttar Pradesh Minister Sunil Bharala gave a statement on similar lines.

He told ANI, "Temple of Lord Ram will be built during the tenure of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. He is a decisive man, he will be the one to build the temple with his own hands, he has 'apaar shakti'&nbsp;in him."

"The day-to-day hearing on Ayodhya matter is taking place in the Supreme Court and a decision will be taken soon in the favour of the construction of Ram temple... Even the Muslim community supports this," he claimed.

Fourteen appeals are pending before the apex court against the 2010 Allahabad High Court verdict which ordered equal division of the 2.77-acre disputed land in Ayodhya among the three parties- Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla.

The 16th-century Babri Masjid was demolished on 6 December 1992.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

BJP MP from Bhopal, Pragya Singh Thakur on Friday asserted that Ram Temple will be built in Ayodhya in the same manner by which Article 370 was abrogated from Jammu and Kashmir.

BJP MP from Bhopal, Pragya Singh Thakur on Friday asserted that Ram Temple will be built in Ayodhya in the same manner by which Article 370 was abrogated from Jammu and Kashmir. Thakur, who is known for making controversial statements, said, "Ram Mandir will be built in Ayodhya, the same way Article 370 was removed from Jammu and Kashmir. Nothing will happen to me till the construction of the shrine in Ayodhya." "Everyone believes now that removal of Article 370 has united the country. Now a grand Ram Temple will be built and we all witness it soon," she said while speaking to reporters in Indore. Recently, Uttar Pradesh Minister Sunil Bharala gave a statement on similar lines. He told ANI, "Temple of Lord Ram will be built during the tenure of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. He is a decisive man, he will be the one to build the temple with his own hands, he has 'apaar shakti' in him." "The day-to-day hearing on Ayodhya matter is taking place in the Supreme Court and a decision will be taken soon in the favour of the construction of Ram temple... Even the Muslim community supports this," he claimed. Fourteen appeals are pending before the apex court against the 2010 Allahabad High Court verdict which ordered equal division of the 2.77-acre disputed land in Ayodhya among the three parties- Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla. The 16th-century Babri Masjid was demolished on 6 December 1992.

After removal of Article 370, Ram temple will now be built in Ayodhya: Pragya Thakur

It took three attempts for BJP's winning candidate Pragya Singh Thakur to complete her oath-taking ceremony as an MP in the Lok Sabha on Monday.

In her first attempt, she tried to take oath under the name 'Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur Poorn Chetnand Avdheshanand Giri,'&nbsp;which became a point of contention among the opposition.

Thakur was suffixing her name with that of her spiritual guru.

She was stopped twice, first by the Pro-tem speaker of the Lok Sabha, Virendra Singh and the second time by the shouts of the opposition MPs who stopped her midway.

Thakur took the oath in her third attempt after Singh stated that he would remove anything which was found out to be "unofficial".

She also took the oath in Sanskrit like Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan, Ashwini Kumar Choubey and Pratap Chandra Sarangi and others.

Led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as many as 313 newly-elected MPs on Monday took oath as members of the 17th Lok Sabha where linguistic diversity of India was on full display.

Slogans like 'Jai Shri Ram'&nbsp;greeted Pro-tem Speaker when he took the chair at 11 am to commence the proceedings.

The oath-taking ceremony will continue tomorrow with many MPs from states like Uttar Pradesh and other states taking the oath.&nbsp;

It took three attempts for BJP's winning candidate Pragya Singh Thakur to complete her oath-taking ceremony as an MP in the Lok Sabha on Monday. In her first attempt, she tried to take oath under the name 'Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur Poorn Chetnand Avdheshanand Giri,' which became a point of contention among the opposition.

It took three attempts for BJP's winning candidate Pragya Singh Thakur to complete her oath-taking ceremony as an MP in the Lok Sabha on Monday. In her first attempt, she tried to take oath under the name 'Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur Poorn Chetnand Avdheshanand Giri,' which became a point of contention among the opposition. Thakur was suffixing her name with that of her spiritual guru. She was stopped twice, first by the Pro-tem speaker of the Lok Sabha, Virendra Singh and the second time by the shouts of the opposition MPs who stopped her midway. Thakur took the oath in her third attempt after Singh stated that he would remove anything which was found out to be "unofficial". She also took the oath in Sanskrit like Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan, Ashwini Kumar Choubey and Pratap Chandra Sarangi and others. Led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as many as 313 newly-elected MPs on Monday took oath as members of the 17th Lok Sabha where linguistic diversity of India was on full display. Slogans like 'Jai Shri Ram' greeted Pro-tem Speaker when he took the chair at 11 am to commence the proceedings. The oath-taking ceremony will continue tomorrow with many MPs from states like Uttar Pradesh and other states taking the oath.

Pragya Thakur completes taking oath in three attempts in Lok Sabha

A special NIA court here on Monday directed <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/malegaon-blast-case-pragya-singh-thakur-two-other-accused-exempted-from-court-appearance-220372">Bhopal MP Pragya Singh Thakur</a> and all other accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case to appear before it once a week.

Special NIA Judge Vinod Padalkar while asking BJP leader Thakur to be present before the court referred to a recent Supreme Court order which said hearing in criminal cases against public representatives be expedited.

Of the seven accused in the case, Samir Kulkarni, Lt Col Prasad Purohit and Ajay Rahirkar were present in the court, while the others filed exemption applications.

The judge directed that all the accused including Major (retired) Ramesh Upadhyay, Ajay Rahirkar, Sudhakar Dwivedi and Sameer Kulkarni must appear at least once a week. All the seven are on bail.

They have been charged under various sections of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

The charges include sections 16 (committing terrorist act) and 18 (conspiring to commit terrorist act) of the UAPA and sections 120 (b) (criminal conspiracy), 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 324 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 153 (a) (promoting enmity between two religious groups) of the IPC.

The accused have also been charged under relevant sections of the Explosive Substances Act.

On September 29, 2018, six people were killed and a dozen others were injured when a bomb placed on a motorcycle exploded in Maharashtra's Malegaon city. (ANI)&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

A special NIA court here on Monday directed Bhopal MP Pragya Singh Thakur and all other accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case to appear before it once a week. Special NIA Judge Vinod Padalkar while asking BJP leader Thakur to be present before the court referred to a recent Supreme Court order which said hearing in criminal cases against public representatives be expedited.

A special NIA court here on Monday directed Bhopal MP Pragya Singh Thakur and all other accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case to appear before it once a week. Special NIA Judge Vinod Padalkar while asking BJP leader Thakur to be present before the court referred to a recent Supreme Court order which said hearing in criminal cases against public representatives be expedited. Of the seven accused in the case, Samir Kulkarni, Lt Col Prasad Purohit and Ajay Rahirkar were present in the court, while the others filed exemption applications. The judge directed that all the accused including Major (retired) Ramesh Upadhyay, Ajay Rahirkar, Sudhakar Dwivedi and Sameer Kulkarni must appear at least once a week. All the seven are on bail. They have been charged under various sections of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The charges include sections 16 (committing terrorist act) and 18 (conspiring to commit terrorist act) of the UAPA and sections 120 (b) (criminal conspiracy), 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 324 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 153 (a) (promoting enmity between two religious groups) of the IPC. The accused have also been charged under relevant sections of the Explosive Substances Act. On September 29, 2018, six people were killed and a dozen others were injured when a bomb placed on a motorcycle exploded in Maharashtra's Malegaon city. (ANI)

Malegaon blast case: NIA court asks Pragya Thakur to appear before it once a week

With India voting in the last leg of the Lok Sabha elections on Sunday, Bollywood actor Farhan Akhtar was massively trolled after he made an appeal to voters of Bhopal to vote against BJP's Pragya Thakur.

Now, here's the catch - the parliamentary constituency has already voted in the sixth phase of polls on May 12 last Sunday, which means Farhan is a tad too late in his political appeal.

"Dear electorate of Bhopal, it's time for you to save your city from another full-of-gas tragedy. #SayNoToPragya #SayNoToGodse #RememberTheMahatma #ChooseLoveNotHate," the actor tweeted.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Dear electorate of Bhopal, it’s time for you to save your city from another full-of-gas tragedy. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SayNoToPragya?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SayNoToPragya</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SayNoToGodse?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SayNoToGodse</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RememberTheMahatma?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RememberTheMahatma</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ChooseLoveNotHate?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ChooseLoveNotHate</a>
— Farhan Akhtar (@FarOutAkhtar) <a href="https://twitter.com/FarOutAkhtar/status/1129947762496135169?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 19, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Pragya Thakur had recently stoked controversy by terming Nathuram Godse, the killer of Mahatma Gandhi, a patriot. She was forced to dial down her statement and apologise for the remark after her party BJP expressed disagreement and distanced itself from the comment. Even Prime Minister Modi had stated he will never be able to forgive Thakur for what she said.

Hawk-eyed Twitter users couldn't have spared the actor for his faux pas.&nbsp;

They were not only quick in pointing out the delay but also slammed the actor for his reference to the Bhopal Gas Tragedy, one of the world's worst industrial disasters which claimed around 15,000 lives.

"Making fun of Gas tragedy and it's victims. #Shameless," wrote a user.

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Making fun of Gas tragedy and it's victims. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Shameless?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Shameless</a>
— Hitesh Gupta (@hiteshkgupta) <a href="https://twitter.com/hiteshkgupta/status/1129982152718688256?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 19, 2019</a></blockquote>
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"Change your internet connection. Your tweets are taking 10 days to be published," read another tweet.

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O Dhakkan, Elections were held on 12th in Bhopal. &amp; plz Change your internet connection. Your tweets are taking 10 days to be published 😂<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JitegiToPragyaDidiHi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JitegiToPragyaDidiHi</a> ✌
— Chowkidar Himanshu Wadhwa (@himanshuWadhwa0) <a href="https://twitter.com/himanshuWadhwa0/status/1130008516754731009?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 19, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Another user wrote, "These guys are so cut off from reality."

Despite the flurry of replies and merciless trolling, the "Rock On!!" actor is yet to issue take down his tweet or issue a correction.

Four hours after he put up the post on the micro-blogging website, it had garnered over 1,600 retweets and 8,600 replies.

Farhan's parents, Javed Akhtar and Shabana Azmi, have been vocal critics of the BJP and policies of the Narendra Modi-led central government. The couple also promptly campaigned for Kanhaiya Kumar, the Communist Party candidate from Bihar's Begusarai.

With India voting in the last leg of the Lok Sabha elections on Sunday, Bollywood actor Farhan Akhtar was massively trolled after he made an appeal to voters of Bhopal to vote against BJP's Pragya Thakur.

With India voting in the last leg of the Lok Sabha elections on Sunday, Bollywood actor Farhan Akhtar was massively trolled after he made an appeal to voters of Bhopal to vote against BJP's Pragya Thakur. Now, here's the catch - the parliamentary constituency has already voted in the sixth phase of polls on May 12 last Sunday, which means Farhan is a tad too late in his political appeal. "Dear electorate of Bhopal, it's time for you to save your city from another full-of-gas tragedy. #SayNoToPragya #SayNoToGodse #RememberTheMahatma #ChooseLoveNotHate," the actor tweeted. Dear electorate of Bhopal, it’s time for you to save your city from another full-of-gas tragedy. #SayNoToPragya #SayNoToGodse #RememberTheMahatma #ChooseLoveNotHate — Farhan Akhtar (@FarOutAkhtar) May 19, 2019 × Pragya Thakur had recently stoked controversy by terming Nathuram Godse, the killer of Mahatma Gandhi, a patriot. She was forced to dial down her statement and apologise for the remark after her party BJP expressed disagreement and distanced itself from the comment. Even Prime Minister Modi had stated he will never be able to forgive Thakur for what she said. Hawk-eyed Twitter users couldn't have spared the actor for his faux pas. They were not only quick in pointing out the delay but also slammed the actor for his reference to the Bhopal Gas Tragedy, one of the world's worst industrial disasters which claimed around 15,000 lives. "Making fun of Gas tragedy and it's victims. #Shameless," wrote a user. Making fun of Gas tragedy and it's victims. #Shameless — Hitesh Gupta (@hiteshkgupta) May 19, 2019 × "Change your internet connection. Your tweets are taking 10 days to be published," read another tweet. O Dhakkan, Elections were held on 12th in Bhopal. & plz Change your internet connection. Your tweets are taking 10 days to be published 😂#JitegiToPragyaDidiHi ✌ — Chowkidar Himanshu Wadhwa (@himanshuWadhwa0) May 19, 2019 × Another user wrote, "These guys are so cut off from reality." Despite the flurry of replies and merciless trolling, the "Rock On!!" actor is yet to issue take down his tweet or issue a correction. Four hours after he put up the post on the micro-blogging website, it had garnered over 1,600 retweets and 8,600 replies. Farhan's parents, Javed Akhtar and Shabana Azmi, have been vocal critics of the BJP and policies of the Narendra Modi-led central government. The couple also promptly campaigned for Kanhaiya Kumar, the Communist Party candidate from Bihar's Begusarai.

Farhan Akhtar urges Bhopal to vote against Pragya Thakur, week after elections, gets trolled

Fielding "undertrial terror accused" <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/india-general-elections-2019/election-commission-bars-pragya-thakur-from-campaigning-for-72-hours-for-karkare-babri-remarks-215135&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjijOub-PzhAhXSX3wKHSdxALcQFjAAegQIAxAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw2qPtk1jcPcbYyiKJGMyuum">Pragya Thakur as a candidate for the Lok Sabha</a> polls is BJP's way of consolidating the Hindutva vote bank, CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury has charged.

He claimed the BJP's fear of being unable to retain 50 per cent of its seats has led it to rouse communal passions to get votes.

In an article in the forthcoming issue of party mouthpiece People's Democracy, Yechury charged that the BJP and Narendra Modi were preoccupied with disrupting the unity of the country and its solidarity through their venomous campaign of communal polarization.

He said the first three phases of the 17th general elections saw the electorate voting in 302 seats out of the 543 Lok Sabha seats. The ruling BJP has 113 sitting MPs from these constituencies.

In the next four phases ending on May 19, the electorate will vote for the remaining 241 seats. Of these, the BJP currently holds 161 sitting MPs. That is two-thirds of these seats. It is clear that if the BJP is unable to retain these seats, its desire to form the next government simply falls through. This is because, in the first three phases, it is universally admitted that the BJP will not be able to retain at least 50 per cent of its sitting seats.

"It is precisely this realisation that has prompted the BJP leadership to consciously adopt an aggressive campaign led by Narendra Modi to rouse unscrupulous communal passions as the only means left to garner votes," he said.&nbsp;

Taking a dig at the Election Commission, Yechury said while the ruling party was resorting to the "worst form of vote bank politics consolidating the Hindu communal vote bank" the poll body was yet to take any action against Modi for the "unbridled" communal passions that he is rousing.&nbsp;

"This is ominous for the health of Indian democracy. As an expression of its efforts to consolidate the Hindutva communal vote bank, the BJP has fielded Pragya Singh Thakur, an under-trial terror accused, currently out on bail on medical reasons, as its candidate from Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.&nbsp;

Endorsing this choice, Narendra Modi hailed Pragya Singh Thakur as the 'symbol of our civilisational heritage'," he said.&nbsp;

Thakur is BJP's candidate from Bhopal where she will contest against Congress' Digvijaya Singh.&nbsp;

Fielding "undertrial terror accused" Pragya Thakur as a candidate for the Lok Sabha polls is BJP's way of consolidating the Hindutva vote bank, CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury has charged.

Fielding "undertrial terror accused" Pragya Thakur as a candidate for the Lok Sabha polls is BJP's way of consolidating the Hindutva vote bank, CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury has charged. He claimed the BJP's fear of being unable to retain 50 per cent of its seats has led it to rouse communal passions to get votes. In an article in the forthcoming issue of party mouthpiece People's Democracy, Yechury charged that the BJP and Narendra Modi were preoccupied with disrupting the unity of the country and its solidarity through their venomous campaign of communal polarization. He said the first three phases of the 17th general elections saw the electorate voting in 302 seats out of the 543 Lok Sabha seats. The ruling BJP has 113 sitting MPs from these constituencies. In the next four phases ending on May 19, the electorate will vote for the remaining 241 seats. Of these, the BJP currently holds 161 sitting MPs. That is two-thirds of these seats. It is clear that if the BJP is unable to retain these seats, its desire to form the next government simply falls through. This is because, in the first three phases, it is universally admitted that the BJP will not be able to retain at least 50 per cent of its sitting seats. "It is precisely this realisation that has prompted the BJP leadership to consciously adopt an aggressive campaign led by Narendra Modi to rouse unscrupulous communal passions as the only means left to garner votes," he said. Taking a dig at the Election Commission, Yechury said while the ruling party was resorting to the "worst form of vote bank politics consolidating the Hindu communal vote bank" the poll body was yet to take any action against Modi for the "unbridled" communal passions that he is rousing. "This is ominous for the health of Indian democracy. As an expression of its efforts to consolidate the Hindutva communal vote bank, the BJP has fielded Pragya Singh Thakur, an under-trial terror accused, currently out on bail on medical reasons, as its candidate from Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. Endorsing this choice, Narendra Modi hailed Pragya Singh Thakur as the 'symbol of our civilisational heritage'," he said. Thakur is BJP's candidate from Bhopal where she will contest against Congress' Digvijaya Singh.

Fielding Pragya Thakur BJP's way of consolidating Hindutva votebank: Yechury

<a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/india-general-elections-2019/poll-scam-money-used-for-naamdars-campaign-pm-modi-targets-rahul-gandhi-213678&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwj4kYrc0e_hAhWKinAKHV5kBvUQFjAEegQIAhAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw00WwceawnX5XDEzIFNFi8z">Prime Minister Narendra Modi</a> Friday claimed that the Congress won't get even 50 seats in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.

He addressed a rally at BKC ground here with Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray ahead of April 29 polling for six seats in Mumbai and 11 seats elsewhere in Maharashtra.

"This election is not to find an alternative but to be decisive, to empower the poor and end terrorism. All opinion polls and surveys are unanimous in their finding that the BJP led NDA will return to power. The only point of discussion is the number of seats," Modi said.

"They (Opposition) are wondering why first-time voters and those who were born at the end of the 20th century are supporting Modi. It is because Modi is giving expression to their (new generation's) aspirations. They are looking forward to 2047 when India will celebrate its centenary of independence, but some people are stuck in the 20th century. They can't understand what the youth want," he said.

"Confusion is the other name of the Congress. If 2014 saw the worst performance of the Congress, in 2019 the party is going to create another record of contesting the least number of seats," the prime minister said.

"The situation for Congress is such that it remains to be seen whether it crosses the 50 mark," he said.

Congress governments neglected the police force and turned it into a "punching bag", he said, adding that had it not been for the alertness of Mumbai Police, who paid a heavy price including martyrdom, the city would have paid a greater price due to terror activities.

Modi's praise for police comes after BJP candidate and Malegaon blast accused Pragya Thakur's controversial statement about slain IPS officer Hemant Karkare.

"The Congress' attitude has been to change chief ministers and home ministers following terror attacks; we have changed that culture," he said.

Seeking to woo the middle class and Mumbai's working classes, Modi said fisherfolk, dabbawallahs (tiffin carriers), and drivers of "kali-pili" (black and yellow) taxies who ensure that Mumbai's speed never slackens need to be commended.

"It is because of the middle class and genuine taxpayers that this government has been able to work on infrastructure upgradation, Ayushman Bharat medical (insurance) scheme, and housing for all by 2022," he said.

The Congress manifesto has no mention of the middle class and some Congress leaders describe the middle class as selfish and greedy, the prime minister alleged.

"Telephone bills were once a huge part of expenses of the middle class. Due to efforts of our government, calling is almost free now and data is also among the cheapest in the world," Modi said.

The government works with 'Mumbai first' agenda, he said, mentioning bullet train project and promising that in the next few years, Mumbai will have 275 km of the metro network.

"During our rule, corruption has been dealt with severely, some people are in jail and some on bail. After the elections, they will be sent to jail. We have increased the number of taxpayers, not the taxes.

We have also increased the income tax (exemption) limit up to Rs five lakh. Today the middle class is saving more," the prime minister said.

Unlike in 2014, the price rise was not an election issue this time, Modi pointed out, saying that "inflation has been controlled at 4 per cent". "Development is high and inflation is low. This is a healthy condition," he added.

His government did a good job of financial management of the country while the Congress was concerned with its own finances and that of "one family", Modi said.

Referring to the Mumbai terror attacks, he also said that "terrorists now know that he (Modi) will find them even from hell and kill them if they attempt any such attack".

"I am Shivaji's `mavla' (soldier)," Modi said, invoking the Maratha warrior king. "Terrorists know that I will enter their homes and kill them," he added. 
Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, who addressed the rally earlier, said this was the third time he and Modi were campaigning together, while Congress president Rahul Gandhi and his ally, NCP chief Sharad Pawar had not come together.

"Rahul Gandhi doesn't feel the need to come here and Pawar doesn't want to share&nbsp;dais with him," Thackeray said.

Sena was with the Modi because only he can deal firmly with Pakistan, Uddhav said, adding that the Sena-BJP alliance was based on "a common maximum programme" of Ram temple, the abolition of Article 370 and development.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis described the opposition as "bears and wolves" who have taken along a "parrot" to defeat "the lion and the tiger".&nbsp;

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday claimed that the Congress won't get even 50 seats in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. He addressed a rally at BKC ground here with Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray ahead of April 29 polling for six seats in Mumbai and 11 seats elsewhere in Maharashtra.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday claimed that the Congress won't get even 50 seats in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. He addressed a rally at BKC ground here with Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray ahead of April 29 polling for six seats in Mumbai and 11 seats elsewhere in Maharashtra. "This election is not to find an alternative but to be decisive, to empower the poor and end terrorism. All opinion polls and surveys are unanimous in their finding that the BJP led NDA will return to power. The only point of discussion is the number of seats," Modi said. "They (Opposition) are wondering why first-time voters and those who were born at the end of the 20th century are supporting Modi. It is because Modi is giving expression to their (new generation's) aspirations. They are looking forward to 2047 when India will celebrate its centenary of independence, but some people are stuck in the 20th century. They can't understand what the youth want," he said. "Confusion is the other name of the Congress. If 2014 saw the worst performance of the Congress, in 2019 the party is going to create another record of contesting the least number of seats," the prime minister said. "The situation for Congress is such that it remains to be seen whether it crosses the 50 mark," he said. Congress governments neglected the police force and turned it into a "punching bag", he said, adding that had it not been for the alertness of Mumbai Police, who paid a heavy price including martyrdom, the city would have paid a greater price due to terror activities. Modi's praise for police comes after BJP candidate and Malegaon blast accused Pragya Thakur's controversial statement about slain IPS officer Hemant Karkare. "The Congress' attitude has been to change chief ministers and home ministers following terror attacks; we have changed that culture," he said. Seeking to woo the middle class and Mumbai's working classes, Modi said fisherfolk, dabbawallahs (tiffin carriers), and drivers of "kali-pili" (black and yellow) taxies who ensure that Mumbai's speed never slackens need to be commended. "It is because of the middle class and genuine taxpayers that this government has been able to work on infrastructure upgradation, Ayushman Bharat medical (insurance) scheme, and housing for all by 2022," he said. The Congress manifesto has no mention of the middle class and some Congress leaders describe the middle class as selfish and greedy, the prime minister alleged. "Telephone bills were once a huge part of expenses of the middle class. Due to efforts of our government, calling is almost free now and data is also among the cheapest in the world," Modi said. The government works with 'Mumbai first' agenda, he said, mentioning bullet train project and promising that in the next few years, Mumbai will have 275 km of the metro network. "During our rule, corruption has been dealt with severely, some people are in jail and some on bail. After the elections, they will be sent to jail. We have increased the number of taxpayers, not the taxes. We have also increased the income tax (exemption) limit up to Rs five lakh. Today the middle class is saving more," the prime minister said. Unlike in 2014, the price rise was not an election issue this time, Modi pointed out, saying that "inflation has been controlled at 4 per cent". "Development is high and inflation is low. This is a healthy condition," he added. His government did a good job of financial management of the country while the Congress was concerned with its own finances and that of "one family", Modi said. Referring to the Mumbai terror attacks, he also said that "terrorists now know that he (Modi) will find them even from hell and kill them if they attempt any such attack". "I am Shivaji's `mavla' (soldier)," Modi said, invoking the Maratha warrior king. "Terrorists know that I will enter their homes and kill them," he added. Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, who addressed the rally earlier, said this was the third time he and Modi were campaigning together, while Congress president Rahul Gandhi and his ally, NCP chief Sharad Pawar had not come together. "Rahul Gandhi doesn't feel the need to come here and Pawar doesn't want to share dais with him," Thackeray said. Sena was with the Modi because only he can deal firmly with Pakistan, Uddhav said, adding that the Sena-BJP alliance was based on "a common maximum programme" of Ram temple, the abolition of Article 370 and development. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis described the opposition as "bears and wolves" who have taken along a "parrot" to defeat "the lion and the tiger".

Congress may not get even 50 seats: PM Modi

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