Pragya Thakur's controversial statements will help us, quips Digvijaya

Bhopal: After the Election Commission of India (ECI) barred BJP Lok Sabha candidate from Bhopal Sadhvi Pragya Thakur from campaigning for 72 hours, her Congress opponent Digvijaya Singh quipped that the controversial remarks Pragya makes in public rallies will only help the Congress.

Singh, while addressing a public rally here on Thursday, said, "BJP couldn't find a single member from their party who could fight me, so they got Sadhvi Ji. Good, I welcome her. The Election Commission has barred her for three days from campaigning, though we want to her campaign and keep giving statements, it helps us."

The ECI had on Wednesday barred Malegaon blast accused Thakur from campaigning for 72 hours starting Thursday for seeking votes on religious lines and thereby violating the Model Code of Conduct (MCC).

So far, Thakur has been served three notices by the ECI for violating the MCC on various occasions.

Thakur has made headlines for multiple controversial statements made by her since her candidature from Bhopal was announced by the BJP for the ongoing general elections.

Last month, Thakur had said former Mumbai Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) chief Hemant Karkare had lost his life because she cursed him.

Karkare was killed along with two other senior police officers while fighting terrorists during the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai in November 2008.

She had also courted controversy by saying she was "proud" of her involvement in the demolition of Babri Masjid in 1992.

Built by Mughal emperor Babur in 1578 in Ayodhya, Babri Masjid was, on December 6, 1992, allegedly pulled down by a group of Hindu activists, claiming that the mosque was constructed after demolishing a Ram temple that stood there.

Polling in Bhopal will be held on May 12, and counting of votes will take place on May 23.