JOIN USRow erupts over BJP MP Pragya Thakur's lecture on International Yoga Day
BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur, scheduled to deliver a lecture to parliamentarians at an event organised by the Lok Sabha Secretariat to mark the International Yoga Day on June 21, has faced backlash from the opposition, with the Congress wondering if PM Modi has 'changed his mind' on forgiving her.
A tentative schedule notified by the LS Secretariat has listed Thakur's lecture on "Yoga: A Way of Life" at 12 noon.
However, Congress MP Manickam Tagore has raised an objection to her session, and questioned PM Modi's statement on not forgiving her.
"Had Modi sahib changed his heart on Pragya Thakur? During PM’s pet project on Yoga Day, she will be the chief guest for all MPs shows the mann se maaf, (sic)" Tagore tweeted.
In May 2019, Thakur had kicked up a huge row during the Lok Sabha polls by calling Mahatma Gandhi's assassin Nathuram Godse a patriot, but apologised later and withdrew the statement.
“I will never be able to forgive Sadhvi Pragya for insulting Bapu,” Modi had told News24 television channel, breaking his silence on the controversy. Earlier, Modi had endorsed her candidature amid an opposition attack questioning her credentials as an accused in the Malegaon blast case.
Thakur is one of the accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case. Following her remarks, she was expelled from the 21-member Parliamentary Consultative Committee on Defence and also barred from BJP's parliamentary party meetings.
"Members are informed that celebration of International Day of Yoga is being organised by PRIDE, Lok Sabha Secretariat in online mode on 21st June, 2021. The celebration will consist of various practical sessions and lectures on various aspects of significance of Yoga in current situation," it said.
With PTI inputs
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