Mumbai, July 31 (NationPress) Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis asserted on Thursday that terrorism has never been associated with saffron and shall never be. This statement came in response to the acquittal of all seven defendants in the Malegaon blast case by the NIA court.

In a succinct message on his X handle, he expressed in Hindi (loosely translated), "Terrorism was never saffron, is not, and will never be!"

Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde praised the court's ruling, stating that truth cannot be defeated, and criticized the term "Hindu terrorism" as a creation of conspiratorial Congress leaders.

In his response on X, Dy CM Shinde remarked, "After a lengthy battle spanning seventeen years, a special court has acquitted the seven accused in the Malegaon bomb blast case. While justice was delayed, it has been reaffirmed that truth can never be vanquished. From the onset, Shiv Sena has stood firmly with the patriots wrongfully accused and imprisoned in this case, as we never doubted their cause. Colonel Purohit, Sadhvi Pragya, and the other seven had to endure significant mental and physical distress due to these allegations. The Hindu community will not forget this injustice."

He continued, "Hindus cannot partake in anti-national actions as patriotism is a sacred duty for followers of Hinduism. The ludicrous term 'Hindu terrorism' was fabricated by Congress leaders. What will they say now regarding these blatant falsehoods? A dark chapter has concluded today. The stigma on the Hindu community has been erased. The slogan 'Say with pride, we are Hindus' will now echo across the nation with increased volume, without doubt. Truth may face challenges, but it is never defeated! Jai Hind, Jai Maharashtra."

However, Shiv Sena(UBT) MP Arvind Sawant questioned the investigations into the Malegaon and Mumbai train blasts. He said, "Why were they acquitted? They claim insufficient evidence. Recently, all accused in the Mumbai serial blasts were also acquitted. What kind of investigation was conducted? The police have failed to present proof. I am concerned about the investigation. If not them, then who was responsible? It reflects poorly on the police department."

The Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee spokesman, Sachin Sawant, remarked that innocent lives were lost in the Malegaon blast, and the government failed to deliver justice to them, stating, "Yet the Maharashtra Chief Minister shows no remorse for this."

He added, "Their political ideology is evidently reflected in their tweets. This very ideology has raised doubts about the role of investigative agencies. Individuals linked to the BJP and RSS labeled martyr Hemant Karkare a traitor for political gains. Did this same mindset lead to Rohini Salian being instructed to soften her stance against the accused, thus delaying the investigation? Witnesses were offered bribes. A witness like Randhir Singh was appointed to a ministerial role in Jharkhand. The government should express regret that those responsible for such a significant terrorist incident are now at large."

He commented, "This verdict is not surprising, as the NIA had previously cleared them. The government should rename this investigative body the 'Namo Investigation Agency.' Regrettably, the victims of the Malegaon blast still await justice."

Former BJP MP Kirit Somaiya expressed gratitude towards the judiciary and demanded apologies from Chidambaram, Sonia Gandhi, and Rahul Gandhi to the Hindus of the nation.

BJP Minister Nitesh Rane asserted that "Hindus cannot be terrorists. Today’s NIA court ruling has validated this and serves as a significant blow to those espousing the concept of Hindu terrorism."