BJP slams Congress after Mecca verdict

New Delhi: The BJP’s move to push forward its Hindutva agenda got a boost on Monday with a special anti-terror court acquitting all five accused, including right-wing activist Swami Aseemanand, in the 2007 Mecca Masjid blast case. The accused walked out free as the special NIA court acquitted them for lack of evidence. Pouncing at the opportunity, the BJP slammed the Congress for its “appeasement politics” and attempts to “defame Hindus.”

The verdict has come at a time when the BJP has been attacking the Congress for trying to divide the Hindus in the poll-bound state of Karnataka, where most poll predictions suggest that the ruling Congress would emerge as the single largest party but short of the required numbers to retain power on its own. The BJP intends to highlight the acquittal in its campaigning in Karnata-ka and 2019 general polls.

As soon as the verdict was announced, the BJP launched a sharp attack on the Congress for defaming the Hindus and coining the term “saffron terror” and “Hindu terror”.

The court in Hyderabad acquitted the five accused, including Aseemanand, ruling that the prosecution failed to prove charges against them. A massive blast had ripped through the Mecca Masjid on May 18, 2007, during Friday prayers, killing nine people and wounding 58 others.

Reacting to the court verdict, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra alleged that the Congress has long “defamed” Hindus for votes and demanded that party president Rahul Gandhi and his predecessor Sonia Gandhi apologise for terms such as “saffron terror” and “Hindu terror”. The BJP said that Karnataka people will teach the Congress “a lesson” as they had in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections when it was reduced to 44 seats.

Hitting back at the Congress leaders for blaming the BJP government for the acquittal of the accused, Dr Patra alleged that the Opposition party has “double standards” and as it had welcomed a court order in favour of accused in the 2G scam case. He also noted that the Congress was in power for seven years after the blasts and asked what it had done during the period.

“For its appeasement politics, the Congress targeted and defamed Hindus and the country for merely some votes. That conspiracy has been exposed. The Congress has been exposed like never before,” he said.

Taking a dig at Mr Gandhi, the BJP leader wondered if the Congress president would lead a candle march to India Gate and apologise for his attempts to “defame” Hindus.