Malegaon blast verdict: M.P. BJP leaders seek apology from Congress, Digvijaya Singh
A special NIA court in Mumbai, in its judgment, said that the prosecution 'failed to prove the case' and that the accused 'deserved the benefit of doubt' while acquitting Ms. Thakur, Lt. Col. Prasad Purohit and five others. Six people had lost their lives in the blast on September 29, 2008, in Malegaon city of Maharashtra's Nashik district.
Former M.P. Chief Minister Uma Bharti welcomed the verdict and said that the case was used to 'draft a theory of saffron terrorism' while accusing Congress leader and former CM Digvijaya Singh of being its 'originator'.
'The definition of saffron terrorism was coined during this case. Its originator was Digvijaya Singh ji and he was doing this work at the behest of [Congress leader] Rahul Gandhi. To defame Hindutva all over the world, the term saffron terrorism was coined in comparison to Islamic terrorism. And to prove the term, innocent people were made victims,' Ms. Bharti said, while claiming that Ms. Thakur and Lt. Col. Purohit faced severe torture in prison.
While specifying that terrorism has no colour, Ms. Bharti claimed that the term 'saffron terrorism' was coined by those who were trying to appease the minorities. She asked what action will be taken against those who 'conspired against the Hindu community'.
M.P. CM Mohan Yadav also took to X to hail the verdict and said that it is a 'blow to the Congress' narrow-minded mentality'.
'This verdict is a strong response to those who insult Sanatan Dharma, sadhus-saints, and the saffron flag. The Congress should publicly apologise to all Sanatani people,' he wrote.
Meanwhile, Shyam Bhavarlal Sahu, an Indore-based businessman who was discharged from the case in December 2017, said that all the accused had been 'framed in a fabricated case'.
'I was framed under 25-30 charges in the case but we have received justice now. The Congress' conspiracy has been exposed. The party should apologise for its conspiracy, though I don't think it will,' Mr. Sahu said, speaking to news agency PTI.
'While I was in jail after my arrest, my elder brother Mohan Sahu used to come and support me during court appearances. During an appearance, he suffered a heart attack in front of my eyes and died about half-an-hour later. I could not do anything to save him,' said Mr. Sahu, who was arrested in October 2008.
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