Asaduddin Owaisi, the national president of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), raised concerns about the 'hypocrisy' of the BJP government on terrorism after all seven accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case were acquitted on Thursday. He expressed hopes that the central government will challenge this decision in the Supreme Court.
Among the seven acquitted by a special Mumbai court were former BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur and Lieutenant Colonel Prasad Purohit. The blasts near a mosque in Malegaon, Maharashtra, in September 2008 claimed the lives of 6 people and injured 101.
Speaking to journalists at the Parliament complex, Owaisi questioned, "Will the Maharashtra and Modi governments challenge this decision in the Supreme Court? Or will they maintain their hypocrisy on terrorism? The acquittal after 17 years raises serious concerns about the investigation process."
'Where did the RDX come from?'
Owaisi stated, "Initially, the investigation was led by Hemant Karkare of the Mumbai ATS, and later it was transferred to the NIA. Despite the NIA's claim of military-grade RDX use, there is no accountability about its source."
Owaisi also referenced earlier bombings such as the 2006 Malegaon attack and the Samjhauta Express train attack, arguing that justice has not been served in many cases.
He further questioned, "Who was responsible for the Samjhauta Express bombings? Who orchestrated the Mecca Masjid, Ajmer, and Mumbai train explosions? In the 2006 Malegaon case, Muslims were arrested, subjected to severe torture, and later acquitted. So who was actually behind it?"
Also read: ...Who is the real culprit behind the Malegaon blast? Questions raised from ATS to NIA after the acquittal of Sadhvi Pragya and Colonel Purohit.
'Double standards on terrorism...'
The AIMIM Chief criticized the 'double standards' on terrorism and said, "There cannot be two approaches to terrorism. The families of the victims, whether from Malegaon, Samjhauta Express, Mumbai, or the Mecca Masjid incident, have received no relief."
Owaisi recalled how in 2015, special prosecutor Rohini Salian alleged she was pressured to take a lenient stance against the accused in the Malegaon blast case. He questioned, "In 2017, the NIA reinstated Pragya Thakur's name in the chargesheet. Who is to be held accountable for this fiasco?"
Taking aim at the BJP's stance on saffron terrorism claims, Owaisi remarked, "Was Mahatma Gandhi's assassin Chinese? Who killed Rajiv Gandhi? Who killed Indira Gandhi?"
He urged the central government to clarify its intent regarding an appeal against the acquitted individuals. Owaisi said, "If the real perpetrators are still at large, the nation deserves to know who orchestrated the Malegaon bomb blast in 2008."
