“Cut them in half”: Pragya Thakur urges keeping sharp weapons at home, calls for Muslim boycott
Bhopal: Former Bhopal MP Pragya Singh Thakur, infamous for making provocative statements, recently urged Hindu women and girls to shun Muslim men and to refuse them entry even for routine household repairs.
Speaking at a Durga Vahini (Vishwa Hindu Parishad women’s wing) Navratri event in Bhopal on Sunday, Thakur made a string of explicit appeals and directives aimed at segregating everyday interactions between Hindus and Muslims. Her comments come nearly two months after a special court in Mumbai acquitted her in connection with the 2007 Malegaon blast case.
“There is no brother-sister bond in Miyas (Muslims). If they don’t respect their own sisters, how can they respect you as their sister? Muslim men are looking to deceive and trap Hindu women and girls. Don’t ever become sisters of Muslims,” The New Indian Express quoted Thakur as saying.
Thakur urged women to take a vow “not to allow vidharmis in your home,” warning against permitting Muslim men to carry out work such as light fittings, plumbing repairs or driving family vehicles. “All our women and girls should take a vow of not falling into the trap of vidharmis,” she said, and called for organised efforts to “rescue from their clutches our women and girls who have already been trapped.”
Further escalating her rhetoric, she asserted that sharp weapons should be kept at home. "When our daughters are abducted and their bodies are thrown on the road, it causes immense pain. To release that pain, when the enemy comes, they should be cut in half," NDTV quoted Thakur as saying.
Thakur went further to call for economic and social boycotts of minorities. She urged devotees to avoid consuming edible products prepared by non-Hindus, to form groups that would identify shops run by Muslims near temples, and to report such vendors. In a particularly inflammatory passage, she said that non-Hindu vendors selling prasad near temples “should be thrashed and handed over to the law enforcement,” language that invites violence against a religious community.
The comments have sparked strong political backlash. Umang Singhar, Leader of the Opposition in Madhya Pradesh, condemned Thakur's remarks as "objectionable" and accused the BJP of intentionally fueling communal tensions to distract from more pressing issues.
"The BJP accuses others of playing Hindu-Muslim politics, but its own leaders make such provocative statements from public platforms. Pragya Thakur is a repeat offender. At a time when Madhya Pradesh is grappling with unemployment, inflation, and recruitment scams, the BJP uses such rhetoric to mislead the public," NDTV quoted Singhar as saying.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Kerala polls: LDF pledges Rs 3,000 pension; jobs, growth push in election manifesto
Kozhikode (Kerala) (PTI): Kerala's ruling LDF on Thursday unveiled its Assembly election manifesto, promising a mix of welfare and development measures aimed at improving people's lives across the state. The document was released by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan here.
The highlights of the manifesto include a commitment to eliminate absolute poverty in the state, a hike in welfare pensions to Rs 3,000 per month, and efforts to ensure proper healthcare and support systems at the local level.
The Left government had recently announced that extreme poverty had been eliminated in the state and increased the welfare pension from Rs 1600 to Rs 2000.
In its current manifesto, the CPI(M)-led LDF says it plans to identify around five lakh of the poorest families and help them rise above poverty through targeted support.
ALSO READ: BJP slams Karnataka Cong govt's move to end tax exemption given to EV four-wheelers
Special focus will be given to vulnerable groups such as the Scheduled Castes, fisherfolk, and Antyodaya beneficiaries.
The LDF has also promised better care for the elderly and bedridden patients.
Welfare pensions are set to be increased to Rs 3000 per month, and efforts will be made to ensure proper healthcare and support systems at the local level.
For the youth, the manifesto focuses on employment.
It promises campus placements for students completing their studies and the expansion of skill training programmes. A "Back to Campus" initiative will help job seekers gain practical skills linked to employment opportunities.
Women's employment is another major focus. The LDF aims to increase the participation of women in the workforce to 50 per cent. Support systems such as safe travel, childcare, and skill training will be strengthened to help women take up jobs.
On the development front, the manifesto talks about boosting industries, creating jobs, and attracting investments worth Rs 2 lakh crore over five years. New industrial corridors and innovation hubs are also planned.
Elections to the Kerala Assembly, which has 140 seats, will be held on April 9.
