Sadhvi Pragya accuses Congress of treason after being acquitted in Malegaon blast case

Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, the former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP from Bhopal, returned to her hometown on Aug 3 after a special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Mumbai acquitted her and six others in the 2008 Malegaon serial blasts case.

The court cited lack of reliable evidence, procedural lapses, and missing original witness statements under Section 164 CrPC as reasons for the verdict. Thakur greeted the development as a triumph of truth over fabricated political narratives.

Addressing a crowd in Bhopal, she accused the Congress party of orchestrating the entire case by promoting terms like “saffron terror” and “Hindutva terror” to defame Hindu nationalist leaders.

“This was a conspiracy by Congress, and this qualifies as treason,” she said. She argued that her ordeal was politically motivated and that Congress must be held accountable for its role in targeting her and others.

Thakur also alleged she was subjected to torture during the investigation, claiming Maharashtra ATS officers coerced her into implicating high-profile leaders such as Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, and RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat.

She stated the allegations made under duress were false and insisted she refused to falsely name anyone.

Political reactions have been swift and polarized. BJP leaders welcomed the verdict, demanding apologies from the Congress and labeling the prior narrative a deliberate frame-up.

Mahayuti alliance members described the verdict as a vindication and criticized the earlier branding of Hindu activists as terrorists.

Meanwhile, Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leaders took a more cautious stance, pointing out that the court did not address whether the victims of the 2008 blast received justice and questioning why no one has been held responsible for the deaths.

The legal battle over the 2008 blasts, which killed six and injured over 100 people, has spanned nearly 17 years. Thakur had been arrested in 2009 under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), accused of involvement through her motorcycle, and remained imprisoned despite multiple bail rejections. She later entered politics and won the Bhopal Lok Sabha seat in 2019.