Pragya Singh Thakur, a candidate with the Bharatiya Janata Party , addresses people on her way to file her election nominations in Bhopal, India, on April 23. By Barkha Dutt Barkha Dutt Email Bio Follow May 16 at 7:50 PM Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s supporters believe that, by this time next week, he will be chosen to lead India for a second term.
On Thursday, a BJP candidate, Pragya Singh Thakur — who is accused of participating in a 2008 terrorist attack in which at least six people, all Muslims, were killed — defended the man who assassinated Mahatma Gandhi. She called Nathuram Godse a “deshbhakt,” or “patriot.” To understand why this comment was met with an outcry, you need to understand how the BJP has run its 2019 election campaign. Modi has craftily wedded populist nationalism with Hindu majoritarianism. He has located criticism from the opposition within a narrative of elitism and liberal bleeding hearts. These barbs against liberals extends to how they have responded to Thakur.
Even before her outrageous comments on Gandhi, Thakur had already crossed all norms of civility and decency. The very fact that the BJP fielded a candidate on bail from terrorism charges was bad enough. Then she insulted Hemant Karkare, a police officer who was killed while leading anti-terrorist operations during the 2008 Mumbai attacks. While investigating the bomb blast that Thakur is charged in, Karkare traced a motorcycle used in the attacks to her.
Some Modi supporters may be tempted to dismiss her as the “fringe,” but that is a disingenuous argument. There used to be a similar adjective used for Yogi Adityanath, the rabble-rousing monk who is now the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, India’s most politically important state. In this election cycle, men accused of lynching a Muslim ironsmith attended a rally for Adityanath and sat in the front row.
Why?
BDUTT gandhi's nonviolence can be appreciated while criticizing his turning blind eye to violence against hindus and his succumbing to partition. Same way godse's patriotism can be appreciated while criticizing his killing of gandhi. neither godse nor gandhi are binary.
Is she crazy 😵😱😵
BDUTT She is heading for a cabinate berth
BDUTT Well..can it be considered as 'freedom of speech/expression'
BDUTT Modi is the same. The candidate is just a mouthpiece of Modi & his Ideology!
No he shouldn’t. Why people are so riled up with free speech
BDUTT But does Modi have the power to do it? Who decides for him?
BDUTT Hafiz sayeed likes barkha dutt a lot!! Ask her to write an article on Hafiz sayeed!
This is what I call America’s double standards. One law for 1 and 1 for the other! Great show. 😜😁
Potent hate filled evil member of the radical extremist bjp/rss.
The only positive thing that may come out of the Trump presidency is that a lot of power that Congress gave to the executive branch since the early 60's will be returned to Congress if Congress is ballsy enough to do it.
BDUTT Keep your opinion in your backside dear Washington post
BDUTT Drain the sewage in the sewer !!
BDUTT CMMadhyaPradesh RahulGandhi PriyankaGandhi INCIndia OfficeOfKNath JM_Scindia VTankha INCMP digvijaya_28 dmgwalior Mr. MUNIRAM DHAKAD, ADDITIONAL- SECRETARY, TECHNICAL EDUCATION IS CHOR. EOW FIR NO.55/2012, TAKE ACTION AGAINST MUNIRAM DHAKAD, REMOVE HIM. HE IS CHOR.
BDUTT Barkha Dutt is a Hinduphoebe and her opinions do not count. Barkha Dutt conveniently ignores criminal acts of muslims in India. 'Presstitute' aptly describes Barkha Dutt.
BDUTT Lol!!! She was defended by Amit Shah in their last press conference today
BDUTT By the way watch her she going to win with massive majority. you just control your trump if you can
BDUTT What do you के ow about Indian history. Ask any Patriotic Indian they will say you same nathuram did good job.
Do you call this neutral journalism? Sorry. This is lopsided. DuttBurkha is known to take sides. It is a pity you hire her for writing. Well. What can I say? .......So will you reap.
BDUTT Ah....ha....wah..... Modi will not drop her, that's our thinking.
OUR FATE is that we didn't have leaders like ABRAHAM LINCOLN OR GEORGE WASHINGTON we had a narrow minded self centered first PM which kept our country lagging behind
You Americans and jobless Indians in America like Barkha don't know An accused in anti sikh riots in India is heading a large state in Central India. Mahatma is luck he is in heaven if only he was our first PM these things wouldnt have happened.
she's terror accused. she's not innocent.she's is anti humanity
You Americans don't know our democratically elected PM is abused day and night what to say about great people living in heavenly abode who ree no more visible we are fighting seudo secular cancer cell like parties in our democracy only MODIJI WALKS THE TALK ALONE.
BDUTT What an Embarassment we are facing From BJP. He is not only Father of Our Nation but Also a Great Leader in The World. He is A Symbol Of Peace, Non-Voilence, Simplicity, Intellect. Moreover, A Great Hindu & A Great Human.
BDUTT तुम्हारी इतनी औकात नहीं है जो तुम इस तरह की बात करो क्या करना है कैसे करना है और कब करना है ये हम भारतीयों पर छोड़ दो पहले अपने ट्रम्प को देखो और उसे कुछ सिखाओ
BDUTT Indians no longer adore MK Gandhi. In fact, they refrain from address him as Mahatma anymore.
Considering that INCIndia didn’t drop actual terrorists who committed genocide against Sikhs....ironical.
Free speech? The Washington Post should focus on it's own home.
I wouldn't want to run into that guy in a dark alley.
Yeah good luck with that. Expecting Modi to do the right thing is like expecting Trump to not be an asshole.
This may be true but really should hire more actual reporters, report more in the way of actual facts and offer less opinion. Just report it straight. Armed with the facts Americans are more than capable of forming their own opinions.
Wow, spit-in-your-face politics exists in India.
Modi has already reacted on Pragya Thakur
Dash-Bakhts accuses WP...🤣
Yes,he was a patriot and you can
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