Investigators are looking for links between the string of terrorist attacks now being attributed to Hindu groups — from the blasts at Parbhani in November 2003 to the ones in Jalna (2004).
Their main grouses are conversions and the alleged appeasement of Muslims
Investigators are looking for links between the string of terrorist attacks now being attributed to Hindu groups — from the blasts at Parbhani in November 2003 to the ones in Jalna (2004) and the blasts in Purna, Ratnagiri, and Nanded (all in 2006). This year, there were blasts in Panvel, Vashi, and Thane allegedly involving members of the Sanathan Sanstha. Then came the Malegaon blast of September 29 in which investigators claim to have found the role of Hindu extremist groups.
“We have been investigating seven blast cases with seemingly disparate groups involved,” says additional director-general of police Sanjeev Dayal. “The current investigations by the anti-terrorism squad (ATS) will tell us more.”
Asked about the seemingly growing militancy of Hindu groups, Maharashtra home minister RR Patil had this to say: “I do not think it is the right time to comment as investigations in the Malegaon blast are in progress.”
Senior ATS officers attribute the rising militancy to a two-point agenda: opposing conversions and the alleged appeasement of the Muslims. An IPS officer, on condition of anonymity, said, “The one-point agenda of these organisations seems to be opposition of conversions. This pattern was seen in the violence that was triggered in the Dangs area of Gujarat, Orissa, Karnataka, and near Dahanu.”
The Sanathan Sanstha says its opposition to conversions and the “appeasement” of Muslims aims at making Hindus aware of the injustice meted out to them. “We do not follow Gandhiji’s philosophy of turning the other cheek,” says Abhay Vartak, spokesman of Sanathan Sanstha. “We believe in protecting ourselves.”
Abhinav Bharat, whose name has come up in connection with the Malegaon blast, says the government has failed to protect its people, unlike in Gujarat, where Narendra Modi was able to stop the blasts. “The Congress-NCP government has failed. Gujarat is the one state that has taken correct measures and was able to stop the bombs,” says Himani Savarkar. “We are only making people aware of their self-respect. We aren’t provocative if we say there needs to be a Shivaji who can tear the stomach of an Afzal
Khan.”
k_neeta@dnaindia.net
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