Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan
Credit: X/@prithvrj
Mumbai: The Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena on Saturday staged a strong protest in Mumbai and neighbouring Thane against senior Congress leader and former Maharashtra chief minister Prithviraj Chavan for making references like "Hindu terrorism" and "Sanatan terrorism” - in the wake of special NIA court’s verdict in the September 2008 Malegaon blast case.
A sit-in was held by Shiv Sena workers and the party’s women wing outside the Tilak Bhavan, the Congress party office in Mumbai and demanded a public apology from Chavan and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi to the Hindu community.
The protest saw participation from MLC Manisha Kayande, leaders Meenatai Kambli, spokesperson Sheetal Mhatre, secretary Sanjay More, former MP Rahul Shewale, Shaina N C, Samadhan Sarvankar, and hundreds of women activists and thousands of Shiv Sainiks.
"After the NIA court acquitted all seven Hindu accused in the Malegaon bomb blast case, Congress received a major blow for its narrative of 'Hindu terrorism'. Despite this, leaders like Prithviraj Chavan continue to use terms like 'Sanatan terrorism' and 'Hindu terrorism', which is being seen as an insult to Hindus. Shiv Sena workers raised strong slogans to condemn these remarks. Shiv Sena criticised the Congress ideology as appeasement-driven, and accused leaders like Sushilkumar Shinde, Prithviraj Chavan, Digvijay Singh, P Chidambaram, and Rahul Gandhi of defaming Hindus by using terms such as 'Hindu terrorism' and 'saffron terror'," a Shiv Sena statement said.
It added that the Congress persecuted Malegaon blast accused Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur for 17 years, but all charges were later dropped by the NIA court.
Kayande stated that this has caused outrage among Congress leaders, who are now acting like spokespersons for Pakistan.
Former MP Rahul Shewale remarked that Chavan insulted the Sanatan Dharma by calling Hindus terrorists, leading to widespread anger in the Hindu community. He demanded a public apology from Chavan.
Shiv Sena spokesperson Sheetal Mhatre questioned why self-proclaimed Hindus who align with Congress are now silent. She also condemned Prithviraj Chavan’s remarks in the wake of terrorist attacks like the recent one in Pahalgam, where innocent Indians were killed after their religion was identified.
Slogans were raised against Congress leaders including Sushil Kumar Shinde, Prithviraj Chavan, and MP Praniti Shinde during the protest.
Yuva Sena also staged a strong protest in Thane under the leadership of Youth Wing President Purvesh Sarnaik against Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan for insulting Hinduism and the saffron flag. During the protest, Yuva Sena workers symbolically beat an effigy of Chavan with shoes.