BJP MP Pragya Thakur booked for `keep knives at home` remark against minorities in Karnataka

Speaking at the Hindu Jagarana Vedike`s South Region annual convention in Shivamogga (Karnataka) on Sunday, BJP MP Pragya Thakur said, `Keep weapons in your homes, if nothing else, at least knives used to cut vegetables, sharp...Don`t know what situation will arise when...`

Bengaluru: A police complaint has been lodged against BJP MP Saadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur in connection with an alleged "blasphemous" and "derogatory" speech against the minority community during her recent Karnataka visit, police said on Tuesday. The complaint has been lodged by Tehseen Ponawalla, a venture capitalist and political analyst, through social media with Shivamogga SP G.K. Mithun Kumar. A copy of the complaint has also been marked to Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai. Pragya Thakur, an MP from Madhya Pradesh, had participated in the Hindu Jagarana Vedike`s South Annual Convention organised in Shivamogga city on Sunday. She had also visited the residence of Bajrang Dal activist Harsha who was hacked to death for spear-heading the campaign against hijab.

The complainant accused Pragya Thakur of making a highly "blasphemous" and "derogatory" speech against the minority community while speaking at the function. She had asked people to give a befitting answer to love jihad in the same fashion.

She further asked Hindus to take care of their girl children and keep weapons at home. If there is no weapon at least sharpen the knife used for cutting vegetables. "They had killed our Harsha with a knife. They have used knives to kill Hindu activists, we have to keep our knives sharpened to face any eventualities. If our knife cuts vegetables well, it can be effective on our enemies as well."

The complainant stated that Pragya Singh`s speech is an open call for use of arms against the minority community. "It is further submitted that the said speech has the potential effect of intolerance, hatred, violence inter alia against a particular community which is an offence.

He has urged the police to register case against the Saadhvi under IPC Sections 153-a for promoting enmity between religions, 153-b for assertions prejudicial to national integration, 268 for public nuisance, 295-a for deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings, 504 for intentional breach of peace and 505 for statement conducing to public mischief.