“Terrorism Was Never Saffron,” says CM Fadnavis
Maharashtra CM Reacts to Acquittal of All Seven Accused, Shiv Sena Welcomes Judgement, Congress Remains Silent.
- Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis declared “terrorism was never saffron” after all accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case were acquitted.
- A special NIA court acquitted former BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur and Lt Colonel Prasad Purohit, among others, citing lack of reliable evidence.
- Shiv Sena welcomed the verdict, accusing the Congress of coining “Hindu terror” to fulfill their agenda, while a senior Congress leader declined comment.
GG News Bureau
Mumbai, 31st July: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday emphatically stated that “terrorism was never saffron and will never be,” reacting to a special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court’s verdict that acquitted all seven accused, including former BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur and Lt Colonel Prasad Purohit, in the 2008 Malegaon blast case.
An explosive device strapped to a motorcycle had detonated near a mosque in Malegaon, approximately 200 km from Mumbai, on September 29, 2008, resulting in six deaths and injuries to 101 others. The special court acquitted all seven accused, citing “no reliable and cogent evidence” against them.
Following the verdict, Fadnavis promptly posted on X (formerly Twitter): “Terrorism was never saffron, is not and will never be.”
Senior Congress leader and former Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde declined to comment on the verdict.
Shiv Sena spokesperson Krishna Hegde welcomed the NIA court’s judgement. “We are very happy with the order. It was the sinister design of the Congress party which trapped them and also coined the word ‘Hindu terror’ to fulfill their agenda. They have been exposed,” Mr. Hegde claimed. He further added that Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s assertion in Parliament that no Hindu can be a terrorist “has been proved right” by this verdict.
Maharashtra Water Resources Minister and BJP leader Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil also hailed the acquittal, stating that “Hindutva was labelled as ‘terrorist’ and sentiments were hurt.” He claimed there was an attempt to hurt spiritualism.
The verdict concludes a long-standing and politically charged case that had seen the accused face charges under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
