Dragging the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) into the National Investigation Agency’s (NIA) controversial decision to drop charges against Sadhvi Pragya Singh in the Malegaon blast case, the Congres
Dragging the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) into the National Investigation Agency’s (NIA) controversial decision to drop charges against Sadhvi Pragya Singh in the Malegaon blast case, the Congress on Monday claimed that RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat had been apprised about the threat to his life by the organisation that was behind the blast.
AICC general secretary Mohan Prakash while addressing the media on Monday at Gandhi Bhavan also said that BJP patriarch L.K. Advani, who had led a delegation to then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was also provided with all the details of the case, after which he did not seek Sadhvi’s release from jail.
“Martyred ATS officer Hemant Karkare had met (RSS chief) Mohan Bhagwat after the 2008 bomb blasts and had warned him about the threat to his life by the extremist organisation — of which Sadhvi was a part — that had carried out the blast. After his warning, Mr Bhagwat’s security was increased,” Mr Prakash told reporters here.
He further said that if the RSS is a nationalist organisation, Mr Bhagwat should come forward and make public the discussion he had with Mr Karkare. “L.K. Advaniji had also led a delegation to former PM Singh demanding Sadhvi’s release from jail. He was given the full details of her role in the blasts. After that, he never demanded her release. Will Mr Advaniji have the courtesy now to speak out the truth in front of people,” he asked.
Mr Prakash, who has also been appointed as observer for Maharashtra, said that the then home secretary (now BJP MP) R.K. Singh was the first person to coin the term “saffron terrorism.” “The BJP, before accusing us of maligning a community’s name, should first take some information from R.K. Singh,” he said.
Terming as farce Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s interaction with chief ministers of various states, Mr Prakash said that there are barely 15 days for the onset of monsoon season. “He has not provided a timeline for release of funds to help states affected with drought. In such a scenario, we want to know will the money really reach needy states or will it go into somebody else’s pockets,” he said.
