Mumbai, July 31: In the wake of the Malegaon blast case verdict, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday accused the Congress of deliberately portraying the Hindu community as terrorists and demanded a public apology from the party. He said the court’s decision had exposed the conspiracy created during the Congress-led UPA regime.
Speaking to reporters, Fadnavis alleged that the UPA government coined the narrative of “Hindu terrorism” and “saffron terrorism” to target Hindutva groups. “How false it was proved today by the court. Congress should apologise to those against whom action was taken and to the entire Hindu community,” he said, adding that police acted under political pressure.
Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule said the verdict not only acquitted the accused but also exposed a long-running attempt to defame Hindus worldwide. He asserted that Congress had committed an unforgivable act by equating Hinduism, a faith symbolising humanity and tolerance, with terrorism.
Ports and Shipping Minister Nitesh Rane echoed similar sentiments, saying that false cases were filed against Hindutva activists during the Congress period. “The verdict is a major slap to those who defamed the Hindu community. Those responsible should go to temples and apologise,” he said.
BJP state chief spokesman Keshav Upadhye said the verdict shattered the conspiracy to frame seven Hindu nationalists, including Sadhvi Pragya Singh and Col. Purohit, who were subjected to “unprecedented torture” to build a false narrative.
Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Shinde also criticised former Home Minister P. Chidambaram for creating the term “saffron terrorism,” accusing him of trying to hide failures in tackling terrorism.
Leaders across the BJP camp asserted that the court’s judgment vindicated Hindutva activists and demanded that Congress apologise for the defamation.
