Did the UPA Government Plot to Discredit Saffron Identity?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Sameer Kulkarni alleges conspiracy by Congress leaders.
- The Malegaon blast case is ongoing for 17 years.
- Kulkarni claims political motivations behind the investigation.
- Allegations of irregularities and fabricated evidence.
- Implications for justice and accountability in India.
Mumbai, July 31 (NationPress) Sameer Kulkarni, a defendant in the 2008 Malegaon blast incident, has made serious allegations against Congress leaders, including Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, as well as NCP(SP) chief Sharad Pawar, claiming they plotted to discredit the saffron flag and Hindu identity to sway the 2009 general elections.
Speaking to the media prior to a verdict from a Special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court, Kulkarni asserted that the case was steeped in political motivations, intended to damage the reputations of patriots and religious figures.
The Malegaon blast case, which has spanned 17 years, is now on the brink of a judicial decision.
In addition to Kulkarni, BJP leader and former MP Pragya Thakur and Lt Col Prasad Purohit are among the seven individuals facing trial. Other accused include Major (retired) Ramesh Upadhyay, Ajay Rahirkar, Sudhakar Dwivedi, and Sudhakar Chaturvedi.
“For 17 years, we have awaited this moment in our lives. I firmly trust the independent, impartial, and reliable judiciary of India will validate our innocence. The truth, known to us from the beginning, was also acknowledged by the UPA government and the investigating agency. Today, the world will become aware of this truth,” Kulkarni stated.
Kulkarni further claimed that the investigation was conducted under governmental pressure, stating that it was unprecedented in independent India for patriots, religious figures, and saints to be labeled as terrorists.
“Our worship, our emblem of faith, the sacred saffron, and Hindu phrases were maligned globally by Congress. The primary culprits include Sharad Pawar, Digvijaya Singh, Sushil Kumar Shinde, Shivraj Patil, Shakeel Ahmed Patel, Sonia Gandhi, and Rahul Gandhi, who exploited this situation for the 2009 general elections,” he noted.
Criticizing the treatment of Lt Col Prasad Purohit, who was in active service at the time, Kulkarni remarked, “They turned an on-duty Army officer into an accused, branding a retired officer as a terrorist, wasting 17 years of his life who had served to protect the citizens of Mumbai after the 1993 attacks.”
Kulkarni also pointed out serious irregularities in the case management, claiming, “There is an unprecedented level of fabrication in this case. The original FIR, affidavits, and confession statements are missing.”
He highlighted inconsistencies in witness testimonies, mentioning, “The primary witness of the ATS expressed uncertainty regarding the sequence of events that occurred that day.”
Kulkarni accused Congress of betraying Hindu society while relying on Hindu voter support for decades.
“No one can condone any bomb blast on a global scale. Such acts are cowardly attacks. These perpetrators should have faced immediate punishment. Yet, this case was manipulated for political gain. Taxpayer resources were squandered for 17 years. Who will be held accountable for this?” he questioned.