‘Congress used the phrase ‘Hindu terror' to serve its vote-bank politics': Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde after Malegaon verdict
'The NIA court's verdict has finally cleared the stain unfairly placed on the Hindu community. Those who labelled it as 'saffron terrorism' must now apologise publicly,' Shinde said, addressing reporters in Mumbai. 'The slogan 'Garv se kaho hum Hindu hain (Say proudly that we are Hindus)' will now echo louder across the nation,' he added.
Shinde referred specifically to Lieutenant Colonel (retd) Prasad Purohit and former BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur (Sadhvi Pragya), who were acquitted along with five others after a prolonged legal battle. All seven had been accused in connection with the 2008 blasts in Malegaon, which killed six people and injured over 100.
'The accused were falsely implicated and subjected to immense physical and mental trauma. Despite this, Congress used the phrase 'Hindu terror' to serve its vote-bank politics,' Shinde alleged. 'This was not just a legal matter but an assault on the identity and patriotism of Hindus,' he added.
While the Shiv Sena leader hailed the verdict as 'a long-overdue vindication,' he criticised the Congress for what he described as 'an orchestrated attempt to malign an entire community'. He also asserted that his party had stood by the accused throughout the legal process, 'because our fight was based on truth and justice.'
'The Hindu community will never forget this injustice. For Hindus, patriotism is not just a sentiment; it is a religious duty,' Shinde said. 'Congress leaders now need to answer – what was the basis of this fabricated 'Hindu terrorism' narrative? What do they have to say now?'
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