Pragya Thakur asked to stop controversial remarks

In her address to BJP workers in Madhya Pradesh, Thakur said an MP’s job is to work with other public representatives to ensure development.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) working president JP Nadda on Monday asked Bhopal member of Parliament (MP) Pragya Thakur to refrain from making statements that could become controversial, according to a BJP functionary familiar with what happened at the meeting.

The instruction seems to be a reaction to the controversy on Sunday when social media was buzzing with Thakur’s statement that she has not been elected to clean toilets and drains.

In her address to BJP workers in Madhya Pradesh, Thakur said an MP’s job is to work with other public representatives to ensure development.

“So keep this in mind... We are not here for cleaning a drain. Is it clear? We are absolutely not [here] for cleaning your toilets. The work which we are supposed to do and elected for, we will do it honestly. This we had said in the past, saying it today and stick to it in the future as well,” she said.

To be sure, several people pointed out Thakur was merely repeating a fact — that it is local corporators and legislators who are responsible for local issues and parliamentarians play a different role — but it is clear the BJP wants to play it safe.

Thakur had won her maiden election from Bhopal Lok Sabha seat by defeating Congress leader Digvijay Singh.

Thakur, an accused in the 2008 Malegaon bomb blast case who is out on bail, hailed Mahatma Gandhi’s killer, Nathuram Godse, as a “patriot” during her Lok sabha campaign but was forced to apologise; a show-cause notice was issued to her by the party. In a subsequent interview, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he could never find it in his heart to forgive her. Thakur had also tendered an apology after she claimed that Maharashtra ATS chief Hemant Karkare was killed in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks due to her “curse” as she was “tortured” by police.