Pragya Thakur, 6 others acquitted in Malegaon blast case; ‘can’t convict on moral evidence’: NIA court

Congress framed Hindus,fabricated the theory of saffron terrorism: VHP

VHP leader Vinod Bansal reacted sharply to the acquittal of all accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, accusing the Congress party of fabricating the "Hindu terror" narrative for political gain.

He alleged that the Congress not only shielded real terrorists but also misused investigative agencies to target Hindus, including Sadhvi Pragya and others, to win the 2009 elections.

Bansal demanded a formal apology from Congress and called for a parliamentary resolution declaring it an "anti-Hindu party."

He further cited the party’s response to the Ram Janmabhoomi verdict by Allahabad High Court to argue that Congress has consistently acted against Hindu interests.

Plans to defame Hindutva, Sanatan and Bhagwa have failed: Baba Ramdev

Reacting to the acquittal of all accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, yoga guru Baba Ramdev said the verdict has exposed what he termed a false narrative of "Hindu terrorism" and "saffron terror."

He accused certain individuals of conspiring to malign Hindutva, Sanatan Dharma, and the saffron identity, stating that their plans have failed now.

Ramdev claimed that the court's decision has vindicated the truth and prevented further defamation of India’s spiritual traditions. He thanked the judiciary for upholding justice.

Pragya Thakur’s sister hails Malegaon verdict, blames UPA for 17 'years of torture'

Following the acquittal of all accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur’s sister, Pratibha Singh, expressed relief and joy over the verdict.

Speaking from Surat, she said their family endured immense social and financial hardship for 17 years, alleging that the then UPA government persecuted them under a "Bhagwa terror" narrative.

She claimed Sadhvi Pragya was subjected to severe torture and that the family's businesses were ruined. Despite the delay, she welcomed the court’s decision as a long-awaited justice.

Terrorism was never saffron and will never be: Devendra Fadnavis

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday (July 31) hailed the acquittal of all the accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, saying "terrorism was never saffron and will never be", while Deputy CM Eknath Shinde said the verdict has wiped off the stigma on the Hindu community.

Shinde claimed that Hindus can never engage in anti-national activities, and hit out at the Congress for coining the "absurd term of Hindu terrorism".

Reacting to the verdict, CM Fadnavis said on X, "Terrorism was never saffron, is not and will never be."

In a post on X, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said, "Truth is never defeated. After a long battle of seventeen years, a special court has acquitted seven alleged accused in the Malegaon bomb blast case. It is true that justice was delayed, but it has once again been proven that truth is never defeated." He said Shiv Sena has unequivocally supported the patriots who were falsely accused and imprisoned in the Malegaon blast case.

The opposition Congress hit out at Fadnavis, saying the CM had "no regrets" over the loss of innocent lives in the blast, and that his reaction over the court verdict showed his "political mindset". It also sought to know if the government would challenge the court's decision in the higher court as it did after the 7/11 blasts case accused were acquitted.

Terrorism has no religion, says Digvijay Singh after Malegaon verdict

Terrorism should not be associated with any religion and no faith advocates violence, senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh said on Thursday after a special NIA court acquitted all seven accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case.

Extremists are individuals who distort religion to spread hatred, the Rajya Sabha MP said. BJP leaders have claimed that Singh is responsible for coining the term saffron terrorism.

"Neither can a Hindu be a terrorist, nor a Muslim, Sikh or Christian," Singh told PTI Videos in Parliament complex after the verdict.

"Every religion is an embodiment of love, goodwill, truth, and non-violence," he added, underlining that all religions are rooted in peace. He dismissed allegations by BJP leaders that the Congress had coined the term “Hindu terrorism” for political gain.

“The BJP is absolutely wrong in saying that the term ‘Hindu terror’ was coined by the Congress,” Singh said.

AIMIM’s Imtiaz Jaleel urges Maharashtra govt to appeal Malegaon blast acquittal

AIMIM leader Imtiaz Jaleel on Thursday (July 31) demanded that the Maharashtra government challenge the acquittal of seven accused in the 2008 Malegaon bomb blast case in the Bombay High Court.

Jaleel asked, "Who are the real perpetrators?" He also referred to the recent acquittal of all 12 individuals by the Bombay HC in the 2006 Mumbai train blasts case.

"Individuals accused of the 7/11 bombings languished in jails for 19 years. After they were acquitted, the state government stated that the verdict was not acceptable. If the accused in both the cases (Malegaon and Mumbai train bombing) are innocent, then who was responsible for engineering the blasts?" he asked while speaking to reporters.

If the acquittal in the Malegaon blast case is not challenged (in the High Court), the apex court can take suo motu cognisance and direct the government to appeal against the lower court order, the former Aurangabad MP added.

He said the acquittal order should be reviewed without any bias of religion or caste. 

Who is responsible for Malegaon blast? asks outfit that helped victims

An organisation that helped the families of victims in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, has expressed displeasure over the acquittal of seven accused and sought to know if they were not involved in the incident, then who were responsible for it.

It also said the court decision has failed to provide justice to those who died in the incident.

Talking to PTI, Kul Jamat-e Tanzeem organisation's in-charge Firoz Ahmed Azmi said, "The court's verdict in the Malegaon blast case has left us shocked, because the people who died did not get justice." After the 2006 bomb blasts in Malegaon, we always demanded that agencies work in the right direction, After the 2008 blast, the then Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) chief Hemant Karkare conducted a proper investigation and the case against these accused was established. He provided all the evidence against them, he said.

"We were happy as the investigation was moving in the right direction. Agencies had been working for the last 17 years, so they must have got strong evidence. But the court gave a verdict that has left us shocked," Azmi said.

"People who died in the blast did not get justice, if these people were not responsible for the Malegaon blast then who were involved? Agencies should move ahead and approach the Supreme Court against this verdict to nab the culprits," he said.

CPIM slams Malegaon verdict, calls acquittal a 'travesty of justice'

CPIM leader MA Baby has strongly condemned the acquittal of the accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, calling it a "travesty of justice."

He noted the verdict came just a day after the Home Minister declared in the Rajya Sabha that "no Hindu can ever be a terrorist," suggesting a disturbing trend of impunity for Sangh Parivar extremists.

He urged the government to appeal the NIA court's decision and ensure accountability.

Malegaon blast accused Lt Col Purohit hails acquittal, vows continued service to nation

Lt Col Prasad Purohit on Thursday hailed a special court's order acquitting him in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, which claimed six lives and injured 101 others.

Purohit said he was implicated in the case and asserted he will continue to serve the nation as before and with the same vigor.

"No investigating agency is wrong; it is the people serving in these agencies who are wrong. This nation is great. We must take care that wrong people do not rise and make people like us suffer," he said.

Purohit, who was reinstated in the Army pending trial, said he would continue serving the organisation and the nation.

Congress should apologise for maligning 'Sanatan Dharma': BJP

Declaring that the "Hindu terror bogey" has been busted with the acquittal of all seven accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, the BJP on Thursday (July 31) asked the Congress leadership to apologise for maligning 'sanatan dharma' by branding innocent individuals as terrorists.

Congress leaders, including Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, owe Hindus an unconditional apology, said BJP IT department head Amit Malviya. 

“Hindu terror bogey busted,” said BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia after the verdict. “Today, the Court has acquitted all accused, exposing how innocent individuals were branded as terrorists to satisfy political narratives and appease vote banks by the Congress,” he said in a post on X.

He added that it wasn't just a legal verdict but a moral indictment of those who defamed an entire faith for electoral gains.

“Who will be held accountable for years of humiliation, injustice, and media trials? Will Rahul Gandhi apologise to the nation and all Hindus,” Bhatia said in his post.