Bhopal: Malegaon blast accused Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur on Friday said that she is withdrawing her statement against former Anti-Terrorist Squad chief Hemant Karkare as she “does not want Opposition to benefit from it”.

BJP’s Lok Sabha candidate from Bhopal had claimed that Karkare died during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks as she “cursed” him for torturing her. “It was my personal pain. I take back my statement and apologise,” she told reporters, adding that she “felt that the enemies of the country benefited” from it.

The saffron party, meanwhile, failed to denounce Thakur’s controversial comment, and dubbed it as her “personal opinion”.

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“Sadhvi Pragya’s comments must not be misunderstood. The words were her emotions that erupted after going through mental and physical torture. She had to fight death to be here. For the Bharatiya Janata Party, soldiers and martyrs hold the highest position. Respecting them is our religion, and Karkare died while fighting the terrorists bravely,” said BJP media cell in-charge Lokendra Parashar.

Thakur’s statement drew sharp reaction from all quarters, with association of IPS officers slamming her for “insulting 26/11 martyr”. Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala also lent his support to the police officers’ association. “When Mumbai was under attack, Karkare didn’t know if he would ever return home, all he knew was to not let Pakistani terrorist devastate the financial capital. We can never forget his contribution in arresting terrorist Ajmal Kasab,” he said, adding that Pragya’s remark shows the “anti-national face of BJP“.

The grand old party also sought an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP over Thakur’s remarks and sought action against her.

The Madhya Pradesh chief electoral officer had received a complaint against the BJP’s Bhopal Lok Sabha seat candidate, following which a probe was launched.

Karkare, an Ashoka Chakra awardee, had arrested Pragya Thakur and others in the case, alleging they were part of a Hindu extremist group which carried out the blast. She is the prime accused for the blast, in which six persons had died and over 100 were injured.

She said she cursed Karkare for the alleged threats, torture and miserable treatment in custody. “Maine kaha that tera sarvanash hoga (I cursed him that he would be finished),” she said.