"Congress created a conspiracy of 'Bhagwa Terror', Sonia and Rahul should apologise": Ravi Shankar Prasad on Malegaon blast case verdict

New Delhi [India], August 1 (ANI): Welcoming the decision of the special NIA court to acquit all accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad on Thursday accused the Congress of creating a "conspiracy of Bhagwa terror" and demanded an apology from Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi and further noting that Congress can do anything for votes.
Speaking to the media, Prasad said, "The Congress can go to any limits for the vote bank. Congress created a conspiracy of Bhagwa Terror and started spreading it... The court found that there was no evidence or chassis number of the motorcycle. The witnesses also said that they were tortured and forced to make statements..."
Taking aim at Congress leader and former Union Minister in the UPA regime, P Chidambaram, BJP leader Prasad said, "Chidambaram not only give certificates to Pakistan... He raised the issue of Bhagwa terror as the Home Minister and conspired to create a narrative... Why is Rahul Gandhi running away from the truth?"
Demanding an apology from both Sonia and Rahul Gandhi, the BJP leader said, "Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi should apologise to the nation... Will the prosecution apologise? The way Sadhvi Pragya was tortured, I cannot say openly... The people who were falsely accused must be given compensation... Action should be taken against those officials who falsely accused them..."
Furthermore, BJP MP Manoj Tiwari also reacted to NIA's decision on the Malegaon blast case, stating the court has given a tight slap to those who are maligning the saffron flag to save the terrorists.
"Those who carried out the blast accused the Hindus and created a conspiracy to link 'Bhagwa' to terrorism. Today, the court acquitted all the accused... The court has given a tight slap to those who are maligning the saffron flag to save the terrorists. The opposition has been exposed, and the people of the nation will punish those who were trying to call Hindus terrorists in the appeasement of votes," he said.
Former under-secretary in the Union Home Ministry, RVS Mani, also reacted to the NIA court decision to acquit all accused and added, "Satyamev Jayate. The truth has prevailed. This has reinforced our belief in the national emblem... The baseless allegations have been called out by the Court... The 17 years of trial and tribulations the accused underwent were very unfortunate... Ultimately, the Court said clearly that 40 of the hostile witnesses admitted that they were forced to give statements under Police violence... Truth prevails."
Reacting to the verdict, BJP leader Fatehjang Singh Bajwa said, "Justice prevails ultimately... This is a slap in the face to the opposition... It has been proven that the acquitted accused had committed no offence. The then government wrongly accused them of keeping the BJP on the back foot and hampering the image... NIA has exposed the truth..."
The 2008 Malegaon blast case was transferred to the NIA in 2011 from the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS). After a 17-year-long wait, examination of hundreds of witnesses, the NIA special court on Thursday acquitted all seven people accused under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, Arms Act and all other charges.
On September 29 2008, six people were killed and 95 others injured when an explosive device strapped to a motorcycle detonated near a mosque in Malegaon City's Bhikku Chowk. Originally, 11 people were accused in the case; however, the court ultimately framed charges against 7, including former MP Sadhvi Pragya. (ANI)