By Abdul Hameed Yousuf, TwoCircles.net,
Mumbai: In an attempt to woo Muslim voters the Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar yesterday accused Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) directly of being involved in several blasts across the country; something that Muslim leaders opine is meant only for coming general elections.
The party chief in a joint meeting of Congress, NCP and Republican Party of India (RPI) held at Rangsharda auditorium in Bandra, Mumbai, reportedly said that RSS is the only terrorist organization against which Anti Terrorism Squad has proofs in Nanded blasts. He added that after the arrest of accused in Malegaon (September, 29) blasts no explosions occurred in the country.
“Prior to Malegaon blasts when only Muslims were the suspected accused, after every attack, I would think how a Muslim dared plant bombs in his worship places. Later a deeper investigation found the RSS outfits to be behind Parbhani, Dhule, Ajmer and Malegaon blasts etc,’ said Pawar.
Maulana Abdus Salam, the Mumbai president of Jamiat-e-Ahl-e-Hadith said, “It is true, no blasts happened after the arrest of anti-national elements responsible for Malegaon blasts.”
“The statement of Sharad Pawar is but for elections. He is the person who let the police target Muslims freely in 1992-93 Mumbai communal riots. At least 254 Muslims faced the police bullets on their foreheads and chests between J.J Hospital and Pydhoni” alleged Farid Shaikh, the president of Mumbai Aman Committee, which did a lot for Muslims affected by the Mumbai communal riots.
Talking to TwoCircles.net, he further said, “POTA and TADA were imposed on his directions. The elements who carried out the riots were the same but where was Pawar at that time? He is trying to appease Muslims nothing else but neither Muslims nor secular Hindus are with him.”
The organizer of Jamiat-e-Ulama-e-Hind Shafeequr Rahman told TCN that he is not sure that Pawar will maintain his statement after the elections. “Though Pawar has said it for elections but it is an undeniable fact. If he does not change his statement later Muslims can hold him accountable if his party comes into power.”
Shabbir Deshmukh, the Mumbai president of Movement for Peace & Justice (MPJ), said that Pawar has given the statement keeping an eye on the forthcoming elections. “Where was he when Nanded blasts had taken place in Congress-NCP rule and fake beards were found in Hindus’ houses? But now Muslims can not be cheated because they understand all these things.”
However, Abdus Salam says that the statement should be welcomed. “The statement of Sharad Pawar, though issued just before the elections, should be welcomed as he has expressed the reality. It will surely strengthen the direction of thinking, created after the arrests in Malegaon blasts, that non-Muslims too may be involved in terror activities” he said.
Sharad Pawar in the meet also appealed from the Maharashtra people to defeat ‘communal elements’ by voting unitedly for secular parties. As usual he claimed the complete protection of minorities in Congress-NCP rule and promised to work for their welfare though without giving any details.
Earlier, in the first week of February Sharad Pawar visited a madrasa of Mumbai and had expressed his sympathy for Muslims by supporting their demand for reservation in education and jobs and stating that the majority terrorism was a great threat to the security of the country.