Did Congress Fabricate the 'Bhagwa Aatankwad' Narrative for Votes?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Allegations of political manipulation have surfaced following the acquittal of Malegaon blast accused.
- BJP's Ravi Shankar Prasad claims Congress created a false narrative for vote-bank politics.
- Pressure on officials during the Ishrat Jahan case raises questions about political integrity.
- The court's ruling highlights concerns over the misuse of state machinery.
- Chidambaram's role in the narrative is under scrutiny.
New Delhi, July 31 (NationPress) In the wake of the acquittal of all seven individuals implicated in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, senior BJP figure and Member of Parliament Ravi Shankar Prasad sharply criticized the Congress party and former Home Minister P. Chidambaram, accusing them of crafting a deceptive narrative of saffron terror for political advantage.
During a press briefing in Delhi on Thursday, Prasad stated, “The Congress party, driven by the desire for vote-bank politics, will resort to any means. On behalf of the BJP, we assert that the Congress orchestrated a misleading narrative termed 'bhagwa aatankwad'.”
He went on to assert that Chidambaram, while serving as Home Minister, intentionally promoted the concept of saffron terror as part of a broader strategy. Commenting on the Ishrat Jahan encounter case, Prasad alleged that senior officials in the Home Ministry were coerced to alter official affidavits.
“In the Ishrat Jahan case, then Home Secretary G.K. Pillai was pressured by Chidambaram not to indicate in the affidavit that Ishrat Jahan was an agent of Lashkar-e-Taiba, even though LeT had claimed her as a martyr,” he said.
Pointing to another senior official, he added, “There was a Home Ministry official named R.V.S. Mani who also faced pressure during the affidavit submission process. He was continuously coerced to modify the affidavit, and even Chidambaram, who was Home Minister at the time, compelled him to alter it.”
In response to Chidambaram’s recent comments questioning the nationality of the Pahalgam attackers, Prasad made a pointed remark, stating, “Chidambaram doesn’t merely issue certificates to Pakistanis now; he legitimized the perilous notion of 'bhagwa aatankwad' back in those days.”
He praised the court’s ruling, which indicated a lack of evidence against the accused and highlighted that key witnesses testified about experiencing torture. “This judgment has unveiled the misuse of state machinery,” Prasad concluded.