Malegaon Blast Acquittal Sparks Political Storm In Madhya Pradesh

A Special Court of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has acquitted all seven accused in the 2008 Malegaon bomb blast case, including ex-BJP MP Sadhvi Pragya Thakur, setting off celebrations as well as a fierce war of words between the BJP and Congress in Madhya Pradesh.

The verdict, described by the BJP as a "victory of truth and Sanatan Dharma", was met with jubilation across the state. At the Bada Udasin Akhara on Ramghat in Ujjain, spiritual leaders including Sureshwaranand Maharaj, Mahant Vishal Das Maharaj and Mahant Satyanand, gathered to congratulate each other, sharing sweets and chanting in celebration.

"This decision is a slap on the face of those who declared saffron as terrorist," said Sureshwaranand Maharaj of Panchayati Shri Niranjani Akhara. "Saffron can never be terrorist."

Mahant Vishal Das Maharaj, President of Sant Samiti, added, "There is immense joy in all 13 Akharas. Saffron has always been a symbol of the nation and peace."

Similar scenes unfolded at the Bhopal residence of former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Uma Bharti, where supporters burst firecrackers and distributed sweets.

Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav hailed the verdict as a moral blow to Congress. He posted on X, "Satyamev Jayate... All the accused being proved innocent in the Malegaon blast case is a strong blow to the narrow mentality of the Congress. The party that created the narrative of 'Hindu terrorism' should remember that a Hindu can never be a terrorist." He demanded a public apology from the Congress to all Sanatanis.

A visibly emotional Ms Bharti alleged a "deep-rooted conspiracy" to malign the Hindu community. "There was a deliberate attempt to paint saffron with the brush of terrorism. While the world was fighting Islamic terrorism, here an attempt was made to create a parallel narrative of Hindu terrorism," she said.

Former Madhya Pradesh BJP chief and serving Khajuraho MP VD Sharma accused Congress leaders, particularly two-term chief minister Digvijay Singh, of fabricating the saffron terror narrative. "Today's verdict proves Congress tried to malign Hindutva. Will Digvijay Singh and P Chidambaram now apologise for branding innocent people as terrorists?" he asked.

The Congress response was mixed. Former Chief Minister Kamal Nath said, "It is the court's decision. Everyone will accept it. Whether one considers it right or wrong, the verdict has been delivered."

Congress MLA Arif Masood called for a Supreme Court appeal, citing the precedent of further legal pursuit in the blast case.

Jaivardhan Singh, Congress MLA and son of Digvijay Singh, struck an ideological note. "A terrorist is a terrorist. It is wrong to associate any religion or colour with terrorism. People who praise Nathuram Godse have no place in a democracy. Sadhvi Pragya has repeatedly praised Gandhi's killers, which stands against India's founding values," he said.