BJP seeks inquiry into 'fixing' Sadhvi in Malegaon case

With Sadhvi Pragya Thakur and five others let off in the Malegaon blast case, the BJP has sought a probe to find out who "framed" them.

By expressing reservations over the saffron terror probe, the BJP is trying to build a dossier to accuse the Congress of indulging in terror politics like the Ishrat Jehan encounter case.

Besides discharging the six accused of perpetrating saffron terror by the Anti-Terrorism Squad of Maharashtra, the NIA has also dropped the stringent MCOCA provisions against Lt Col Prasad Shrikant Purohit, who will continue to face trial for allegedly carrying out blasts in 2008.

The BJP said a conspiracy was hatched, alluding to the UPA government, for prosecuting Hindutva groups on charges of carrying out blasts in Malegaon and the Samjhauta Express train.

"I was of the opinion from day one that Pragya Thakur and others have just been framed in these cases. With all the atrocities a person like Pragya Thakur was subjected to, I think had there been any other liberal, law-abiding country, there would have been a counter investigation against people involved. There was nothing against her,” said BJP spokesperson Meenakshi Lekhi, who in her personal capacity as a lawyer, had earlier handled saffron terror matters.

Taking a veiled dig at the Congress, Lekhi also said, “There was conspiracy over Malegaon and Samjhauta Express blasts. People associated with politics worked against the country's interest."

‘Planned conspiracy’

Senior RSS functionary Indresh Kumar, who was investigated in a saffron terror case, welcomed the NIA move and like the BJP, said, “It was all a planned conspiracy to defame patriots and an attempt by the UPA to malign us.”

He told reporters that "the UPA government had linked saffron and Hindutva with terrorism. There cannot be a bigger crime, sin and injustice. That is why the UPA government hatched a political conspiracy".

Lekhi, however, refrained from commenting on dilution of charges against Lt Col Prasad Shrikant Purohit and other accused, on the pretext of not having details of the case against him.