Mumbai: A day after the special NIA court acquitted several accused in the 2008 Malegaon bomb blast case, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis launched a scathing attack on the Congress, accusing the party of fabricating the 'Bhagwa Atankwad' (saffron terror) narrative for political mileage.
"Congress tailored the Hindu terror theory. It was a conspiracy to secure their vote bank," Fadnavis said while addressing media in Nagpur on Friday.
He alleged that during a time when Islamist terrorism was a global concern, the Congress deliberately introduced the idea of 'Bhagwa Atankwad' to create a counter-narrative and malign Hindu organisations like the RSS.
“That period saw a spate of global terror incidents linked to Islamist outfits. Congress tried to balance the discourse by coining Hindu terror. It was politically convenient and aimed at vilifying an entire community,” he said.
The Malegaon case, which had made national headlines in 2008, involved bomb blasts in the communally sensitive region that killed 37 and injured over 100. The initial probe pointed to Islamist groups, but a later UPA-era investigation brought in Hindu activists and RSS-linked individuals as suspects. However, after years of trial, many were acquitted due to lack of evidence.
"They framed RSS office-bearers without any solid proof. All their efforts went in vain," Fadnavis said, adding that the truth has finally begun to emerge.
“The Congress tried to portray all Hindus as terrorists. But the people are aware now. They will question those who pushed this dangerous narrative,” he said.
The remarks come amid renewed political debate following the court's decision, reigniting discourse around the use of religion in national security narratives and electoral politics.
