Ramdas Athawale: Disagree with Pragya Thakur's comments on Karkare

Ramdas Athawale

Bhopal: Union Minister and RPI (A) chief Ramdas Athawale Sunday said he disagreed with BJP Bhopal Lok Sabha candidate Pragya Singh Thakur's comment on former Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad chief Hemant Karkare, adding that his party would never have given her a ticket.

Thakur had earlier said that Karkare was killed in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack as she had "cursed" him for "torturing" her while he was probing the 2008 Malegaon blast case. Thakur is an accused in the Malegaon blast case and is currently out on bail.

"Karkare was martyred while fighting terrorists to save people. I do not agree with Sadhvi's statement on Karkare. We condemn it. It is for the court to decide what is right and what is wrong," he told reporters here. "If left to our party, we would not have fielded her," he added.

Speaking about the ensuing Lok Sabha polls, Athawale, minister of state for social justice and empowerment at the Centre, said the NDA would win 350 seats. He said, post-victory, he hoped Prime Minister Narendra Modi would give him a good ministerial post.

On being asked what his stand would be on Pakistan if he was made defence minister, Athawale said he would attack the neighbouring country if it harboured those who carried out terror attacks against India.

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