New Delhi: Hindu religious leaders on Thursday welcomed the verdict of the special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court acquitting all seven accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, calling it a moment of justice and demanding an apology from the Congress leadership and the Gandhi family for what they termed a conspiracy to malign Hindus.
The court acquitted the accused, including former BJP MP Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur and Lt Colonel Prasad Shrikant Purohit, citing a lack of sufficient evidence under charges filed under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), Arms Act, and various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Seers alleged that the case was part of a political plot during the tenure of the UPA government to vilify Hindus using terms like "Hindu terrorism (Bhagwa atankwad)".
Swami Jitendranand Saraswati, General Secretary of the Akhil Bharatiya Sant Samiti, told IANS, "Where there is righteousness, victory is bound to happen. The Malegaon blast case was extremely complex. During the UPA tenure, under Sonia and Rahul Gandhi's leadership, several honourable saints of the Hindu community were jailed for years."
"They suffered for 17 long years. This was a conspiracy hatched by the Congress against the Hindus of the nation. Congress should apologise. Hindus can never be terrorists," he added.
Mahant Raju Das, priest of Shri Hanuman Garhi temple in Ayodhya, said, "This incident deeply hurt Hindu sentiments because the term 'Bhagwa atankwad' was used to defame us. With today's court verdict, all seven have been acquitted. Congress has been disgraced. Will Sonia Gandhi and other Congress leaders apologise for defaming seers and using such terminology?"
"Will they apologise for the 17 years these innocent people lost, for the torture they endured? We demand an apology from the Congress to all Hindus," he added.
Speaking to IANS, former Union Minister Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti said, "This was bound to happen because truth always triumphs. But the Congress, in its attempt to shield terrorists and shed tears over their deaths, dared to label a sacred part of Indian culture -- saffron -- as terrorism. In a way, the court's verdict is a self-inflicted slap on Congress."
Saints in Haridwar also welcomed the judgment and expressed gratitude towards the judiciary.
A saint said, "The verdict delivered by the NIA court is very good and impartial. We thank the NIA court. Today, on Tulsidas Jayanti, all seven innocent people, including our Sadhvi Pragya, have attained freedom after years of hardship. Hindus can never be terrorists and can never act against the country."
Another seer remarked, "This verdict is appropriate. It has exposed a long-running conspiracy against Hindus. We appreciate the court's judgment."
The verdict was announced in a packed courtroom, with all accused present as directed earlier by the court. The court also ordered compensation of Rs 2 lakh to the families of each of the six deceased and Rs 50,000 to every injured victim.
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