On Friday, April 19, 2019, Pragya Thakur -- the Bharatiya Janata Party candidate for the Bhopal Lok Sabha constituency -- shocked the nation when she abused the memory of Hemant Karkare, the Indian Police Service officer who was killed on that horrific night of November 26, 2008 by Ajmal Kasab and Abu Ismail, among with two other Mumbai police officers and other policemen.
Mr Karkare was posthumously awarded the Ashok Chakra, the nation's highest award for gallantry in peace time.
Shockingly, neither Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi nor BJP national President Amit Anilchandra Shah chose to condemn Pragya Thakur's remarks.
Modi, in fact, defended Thakur's choice as the BJP candidate hours after she attacked the late Mr Karkare's memory, saying she is a 'symbol' for those who described Hindus as terrorists.
Uttam Ghosh offers his take on the unfortunate controversy.