Pragya Thakur Would Not Have Made Curse Remark had EC Acted Against PM Modi in 2017: Akhilesh Yadav

Lucknow: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Friday said BJP Bhopal candidate Pragya Singh would not have made the 'curse' remark about police officer Hemant Karkare, had the Election Commission taken action against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2017.

He was apparently referring to the controversial 'shamshan-kabristan' remark made by Modi during an election rally in 2017. "If there is electricity in graveyard and during Ramzan, it must also be available in a crematorium and during Diwali," Modi had said.

Yadav said, "Had the Election Commission initiated action against the prime minister in 2017, such statements would not have been given."

He slammed the saffron party for fielding Thakur, who had Thursday night said that Karkare died during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks as she "cursed" him for torturing her.

"You see what message the BJP is trying to give. They are fielding such candidates," he said.

Yadav also sharpened his attack on the Congress, terming it the most "dhokebaaz" party and alleged that it used the CBI against him and his father, Mulayam Singh Yadav.

"It was the Congress which misused the CBI against me and 'Netaji' (Mulayam) and got a probe started against us. I dont fear anyone," he told reporters at the party office.

He was responding to Congress chief Rahul Gandhi's statement in Badaun Thursday in which he had attacked the SP and the BSP, saying they were scared of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and they had caused immense damage to Uttar Pradesh during their rule.

Yadav claimed the man who filed the PIL in the disproportionate assets case against him and his father had also joined hands with the BJP.

"The Congress should reply whether this man was present during the nomination or not. They (Congress) have no face to talk to me," he said, adding that both the parties were the same.

On the occasion BJP MP from Machlishahr, Ram Charitra Nishad joined the Samajwadi Party. Amrendra Nishad and his mother Rajmati Nishad, who recently left the SP to join the BJP, joined the party again.