Malegaon blast verdict sparks BJP-Congress war of words

The Malegaon blast case verdict, in which all seven accused, including former BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur and Lt Col Prasad Purohit, were acquitted, has sparked a war of words between the BJP and Congress. While the saffron party says it has busted Congress’s “Hindu terror” myth, leaders of the grand old party argue that terrorism should not be associated with one religion.

‘Terrorism was never saffron’

Reacting to the verdict, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday (July 31) said the acquittal of all the seven accused showed "terrorism was never saffron".

He stated in a post on X that "terrorism was never saffron, is not and will never be”.

Also Read: Malegaon Blast Case: Pragya Thakur tells court case ruined her life

Congress slams Fadnavis

His remarks drew a sharp retort from the Opposition Congress, which accused him of having “no regrets” over the loss of innocent lives in the Malegaon blast and alleged that his reaction to the verdict has exposed 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.

Stating that terrorism has no “religious colour”, Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal said the Congress has always condemned terror and demanded strict action against the accused. The Malegaon blast case was investigated by (then ATS chief), the late Hemant Karkare, who sacrificed his life to protect the country, he told reporters.

"Had he and former state home minister RR Patil been alive today, what would have been the court verdict—this is what people are thinking," he said.

Senior BJP leaders such as Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and BJP IT department head Amit Malviya demanded an apology from the Congress, accusing it of coining the term “saffron terror”.

Also Read: Malegaon blast verdict: Top 10 things NIA court said

Adityanath’s ‘anti-Sanatana’ charge

Taking to X, the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister alleged that the verdict has once again exposed “the anti-India, anti-justice, and anti-Sanatana character of the Congress”.

He further alleged that the party has committed “a crime of tarnishing the image of crores of Sanatana believers, sadhus-saints, and nation-servers by fabricating the false term 'saffron terrorism.”

“The Congress should publicly acknowledge its unforgivable misdeeds and apologise to the nation,” added Adityanath.

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

What Himanta said

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma asserted that the verdict has proved that there is no term 'Hindu terror'.

''Union Home Minister Amit Shah had said in Parliament on Wednesday that no Hindu by philosophy can be a terrorist and the verdict of the court has also discarded the concept of Hindu terror," Sarma told reporters.

He further alleged that the term 'Hindu terror' was coined by the then Congress government to appease a particular community.

Also Read: Maharashtra: Judge conducting trial in 2008 Malegaon blast case transferred

Digvijaya reacts

Senior Congress leader and former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh, however, said that terrorism should not be associated with any religion and no faith advocates violence, adding that extremists were individuals who distort religion to spread hatred.

Refuting the BJP’s charge that the Congress had coined the term “Hindu terrorism” for political gain, Singh told PTI, "Neither can a Hindu be a terrorist, nor a Muslim, Sikh or Christian.”

"Every religion is an embodiment of love, goodwill, truth, and non-violence," he added.

(With agency inputs)