Mumbai, Jul 31 (PTI) Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Shinde on Thursday said the acquittal of 2008 Malegaon blast case accused was a slap on the face of the Congress, and demanded an apology from the party for its “saffron terror” narrative.
He also hit out at the Shiv Sena (UBT) for aligning with the Congress and “abandoning” the principles of Hindutva and Bal Thackeray’s ideals.
Nearly 17 years after the Malegaon blast claimed six lives, a special court in Mumbai on Thursday acquitted all seven accused, including former BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur and Lt Col Prasad Purohit, noting there was “no reliable and cogent evidence” against them.
Special Judge A K Lahoti, assigned to hear cases of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) here, flagged several loopholes in the prosecution’s case and the investigation carried out, and said the accused persons deserved the benefit of doubt.
“A wrong case was registered against Pragya Singh Thakur, Col Purohit and others. Why did it happen? This was because India witnessed Pakistan-sponsored terror. To hide this, the saffron terror narrative started by the Congress,” Shinde said.
“After 17 years, the court acquitted them (the accused). It is a slap on the face of the Congress and it should apologise,” he said.
The Congress was in power when the blast took place and now the Shiv Sena (UBT) has allied with it. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde revolted because the undivided Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena abandoned Bal Thackeray’s ideals and “forgot” Hindutva, the Lok Sabha member from Kalyan constituency in Thane said.
“Even today, the Sena (UBT) cannot speak against the Congress because of the alliance. Even the Sena (UBT) should apologise, just like the Congress,” Shinde said. PTI PR NP
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