29 October,2015 02:58 PM IST | | Dharmendra Jore
Convinced that the authorities are bringing Chhota Rajan back for his protection, the Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha has demanded that the BJP government show the same sympathy for Hindus
If the government can protect Chhota Rajan, it must protect other suspected Hindus, currently being tried for alleged terrorist activities as well, is the bizarre demand being made by the Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha.
Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur is facing trial for the September 2008 blasts in the Muslim-dominated town of Malegaon. Her bail plea is currently being examined afresh by a special trial court. File pic
The country's oldest Hindu nationalist party believes that the reason the BJP-led government is putting in full effort to bring back Chhota Rajan from Indonesia, is to offer protection to the infamous gangster from his rivals, particularly underworld don Dawood Ibrahim.
On several occasions, Rajan has projected himself as a âHindu don', particularly after he and Dawood parted ways over the 1993 serial blasts. Implying that the BJP government is sympathetic towards him for this reason, the party is now asking for the same consideration for Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur and Dhananjay Desai, who are currently under trial for alleged terror crimes.
Political link
Speaking to mid-day, Hindu Mahasabha's national spokesperson, Pramod Pandit Joshi, also pointed out that Rajan's brother Deepak Nikalje was a senior leader of the Republic Party of India (Athawale) and had contested successive Assembly polls on an RPI (A) ticket. The RPI (A) is the BJP's ally in the State and Centre, said Joshi.
"To bring Chhota Rajan to safety in India is the BJP's foremost job. The RPI (A) is their ally and this alliance must have worked in Rajan's favour," said Joshi, adding that once Rajan is brought to India, he can be placed in jail or hospital under tight security, where he will be safe from Dawood's henchmen.
"Hindu Mahasabha understands this strategy fully, but it would like to remind the BJP to apply a similar strategy to innocent Hindus like Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur and Dhananjay Desai, who are being tried for alleged terror activities despite the fact that nothing has been proved against them," Joshi emphasised.
Thakur is facing trial for the September 2008 blasts in the Muslim-dominated Malegaon. The apex court had ruled in April that there was no evidence to charge her (and fellow accused Col Prasad Purohit) under the stringent MCOCA. Currently, Thakur's bail plea is being examined afresh by a special trial court.
Meanwhile, Desai is under trial for allegedly killing a Muslim techie, Mohsin Shaikh, in Hadapsar, Pune on June 2, 2014. mid-day tried to contact CM Devendra Fadnavis for a comment, but he was unreachable due to official engagements. The BJP denied comment, while RPI (A) chief Ramdas Athawale and Rajan's brother Deepak Nikalje were also unavailable.
