‘Insult to Our Forces’: Cong as Pragya Gets Spot on Defence Panel

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will be chairing the committee, which comprises of 12 members from LS and 9 from RS.

BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur, an accused in the Malegaon blasts case.

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

In a move which attracted criticism from journalists, activists and political rivals, BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur, an accused in the Malegaon blasts case, has been nominated to a crucial 21-member consultative committee of the Ministry of Defence.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will be chairing the committee, which comprises of 12 members from Lok Sabha and 9 from Rajya Sabha.

The Congress party said that the move is a huge insult to the nation’s defence forces, esteemed parliamentarians and every Indian.

"It is unfortunate for the country that an MP accused of spreading terror has been nominated as member of a defence-related committee,” Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said in a tweet in Hindi.

“Modi has not been able to forgive her from the heart but she has been given the responsibility of important issues such as the country's defence. That is why if there is Modi, anything is possible," he added.

Other Congress spokespersons, Abhishek Singhvi and Jaiveer Shergill also raised objections to the appointment on Twitter.

Lawyer and activist Prashant Bhushan also expressed his disapproval. In a sarcastic tweet, he said that a terror accused is the most suitable person for deciding the country’s defence.

Journalists also questioned how a terror accused could make it to a crucial committee on defence.

The Bombay High Court, in 2017, granted Thakur bail after the NIA dropped charges of Organised Crime against her. She is currently under trial under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Ac, according to PTI.

Thakur has often been in the limelight over her controversial statements, like claiming that Maharashtra ATS Chief Hemant Karkare, was killed in the 26/11 attacks due to her curse.

She once called Mahatma Gandhi's assassin Nathuram Godse a ‘patriot’, for which she was issued a show cause notice by the BJP. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that he will never be able to forgive her for her remarks.

(With inputs from PTI.)