"Great Relief": Uma Bharti Applauds Malegaon Blast Verdict

Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Uma Bharti said the verdict in the Malegaon case was a "great relief" to her. All seven accused in the 17-year-old case were acquitted today by a special court. The judge said the prosecution failed to prove the allegations in the case and that all seven accused deserve the benefit of doubt.

"My reverence to the people because they were the ones to face any torture or physical pain but they were not ready to give the names," Uma Bharati told NDTV in an exclusive interview. 

"They were forced to name the people of some right wing organisation, some BJP leaders. It is because of the torture they faced and ultimately they tolerated it... The whole country, the whole Hindu community, the whole organisation now honours them. We worship them," she added.  

During the years-long trial, the prosecution had examined 323 witnesses, of whom nearly 40 turned hostile. 

Pointing to the discrepancies in the evidence, the court said terrorism has no religion, but it cannot convict on mere perception.

Uma Bharti slammed those who suspected the right wing of involvement in the blasts. 

More Muslims stayed back in India than the number that went to Pakistan, because they trusted the Hindus. Now they were blaming the Hindus for the Malegaon blast. "They should be ashamed and they should apologise," she said.

The blast occurred on the night of September 29 2008, near Bhikku Chowk in the communally tense town, located about 200 km from Mumbai, during the holy month of Ramzan. A powerful bomb tore through an area near a mosque, killing six people and injuring more than a hundred. 

Today, all seven accused in the case, including former BJP MP Pragya Thakur and former army officer Lt Col Prasad Shrikant Purohit, were acquitted.