Farooq Abdullah, Malegaon blasts accused Pragya Thakur nominated on key defence panel

New Delhi: Detained under the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA) after being accused of having "tremendous potential to create public disorder", former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah has been included in a 21-member consultative committee on defence.

The name of the 81-year-old National Conference leader, in detention at his Srinagar home for over 100 days, tops the list of members of the panel headed by Union Defence minister Rajnath Singh.

The committee's other members include Sharad Pawar, according to a notification issued by Parliamentary Affairs Ministry. Also in the list is controversial BJP MP Pragya Thakur, whose inclusion has been slammed by the Congress party. Thakur, a first-time MP from Bhopal, is an accused in the 2008 Malegaon blasts case and is currently out on bail. Thakur's nomination to the panel has triggered a political row as Congress attacked the government, saying it was unfortunate for the country that an MP accused of "spreading terror" has been nominated as a member of a defence-related committee.

"Modi has not been able to forgive her from the heart but she has been given the responsibility on important issues such as the country's defence. That is why if there is Modi, anything is possible," tweeted Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala.