Gauri murder investigation seeks ban on saffron terrorists
Perhaps it was Karkare and his team of ATS officers who were investigating the Malegaon blasts that first recognized the roots of saffron terror gaining ground in the country. The whole team then mysteriously died in an attack by terrorists. Even today, the answer to whether Karkare was killed by internal miscreants or external terrorists is not clear.The reality could be anything, but Karkare and many others with him turned martyrs after exposing the vultures that were gnawing at the soul of the nation.
But despite such truths about national security being threatened through these fundamental organisations coming out in the open, no governments have had the political will power to ban them. This is a big insult to the sacrifice made by Karkare and team in ensuring this investigation unearthed important leads.
Saffron terror allegedly planned and plotted Malegaon, Macca Masjid, Ajmer blasts and Sanjhota Express blasts. Investigations have almost nailed the role of saffron fundamental organisations in this. If serious investigations are carried out, their role in other blasts in the country may also become clear.
Though our country expresses concern about terrorist organisations that are based out of Afghanistan and Pakistan, the government has been strategically silent about saffron terror that has gained massive roots within its precincts. This led to more terror attacks.
Saffron terror organisations began to target those rationalists, thinkers and writers who were sharing rational thinking in the society. Dabholkar, Pansare turned targets to the bullets of saffron terror. After this, writer M M Kalburgi was shot dead. Government continued with its silent concurrence to this. Finally, the blind love exhibited by the government cost the life of journalist Gauri Lankesh.
Since Siddaramaiah was the CM at the time Gauri was shot dead, the investigation was taken up very seriously and with great deal of clarity and honesty. Family members were made to insist that the investigation be handed over to CBI. There was also another aspect to the ‘murderers’ that was floated by those who wanted to derail the investigation. Hence, they said it could be Naxals who killed her. But the officers were never influenced by these hear says. Now, it would be a year since Gauri was killed with bullets and the accused are getting arrested one after another.
After Karkare and team who went into the roots of saffron terror, the only other case that has seen such diligent follow up on the terrorism network is Gauri’s murder case. Her murder not only exposed the accused, but also the ‘Swadesi terrorism’ that has been eating at the very soul of the secular country. The ones who have been arrested are just the foot soldiers of saffron terror. Any punishment to them would not do justice to Gauri. Because the ones who killed her didn’t have any personal hatred towards Gauri. The organisations that put these men on the job nursed deep animosity towards Gauri’s thoughts and rationale. They didn’t kill her alone. They wanted to finish off the total thought process that matched Gauri’s. They wanted to shut the mouth of many Gauris and the thoughts that matched hers. They are nurturing violence in the open. They have a name and identity. The ones who led the boys into killing her are roaming in the open. They have not gone into hiding. They are proud of whatever they did. Unless they are brought to book, the murder investigation of Gauri will never be complete.
Post-independent India stands on the scientific and rational thoughts. Nehru had called the reservoirs as ‘gods’ of the modern nation. The light of scientific thinking had hoped to remove the cobwebs of superstition, blind faith, and illiteracy. As a result of this, country got mega hospitals, organisations dedicated to scientific research like ISRO and others were built. Thinkers and environmentalists of international repute are the pride of our nation. If an organization attacks the thought process of this country, it means the attack is on the very roots of the nation. This is against the nation’s interest. They are anti-national activities. Hence the nation should understand the need to identify and ban the organisations that have had a role in murders of Dabholkar, Pansare, Kalburgi and Gauri.
Anti-democratic forces are slowly spreading their tentacles in the country. They are going to mislead further generations into wrong thinking. Hence, all the progressive forces need to come together to safeguard the future of our young generation, hold the country together and spread awareness about the core of this nation – our democracy. This is the real tribute we can offer to Pansare, Dabholkar, Kalburgi and Gauri.
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Excise policy cases: SC agrees to hear Sisodia's pleas seeking relaxation of bail conditions
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to hear AAP leader Manish Sisodia's pleas seeking relaxation of bail conditions which require him to report to the investigating officer on every Monday and Thursday in the corruption and money laundering cases related to Delhi excise policy.
A bench of Justices B R Gavai and K V Viswanathan issued notices to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) seeking their responses on Sisodia's applications.
On August 9, the apex court had granted him bail in the corruption and money laundering cases linked to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam, saying long incarceration for 17 months without trial had deprived him of his right to speedy trial.
The apex court had imposed conditions, including that he shall report to the investigating officer on every Monday and Thursday between 10-11 am.
During the hearing on Friday, senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for Sisodia, said the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader has appeared before the investigating officers 60 times.
"I (Sisodia) am a respectable person," the senior advocate said.
Singhvi said that similar condition was imposed by the apex court on other accused in the case.
"The same ED has given no objection to all other accused," he said.
The bench said, "On the next date, we will clarify it."
"Issue notice, returnable two weeks," the top court said.
The former Delhi deputy chief minister was arrested by both the CBI and the ED in corruption and money laundering cases linked to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam.
He was arrested by the CBI on February 26, 2023 for purported irregularities in the formulation and implementation of the now scrapped Delhi excise policy 2021-22.
The following month, the ED arrested him in the money laundering case stemming from the CBI FIR on March 9, 2023. He resigned from the Delhi cabinet on February 28, 2023.
In its August 9 verdict granting bail to Sisodia in both the cases, the apex court had said it was high time that the trial courts and the high courts should recognise the principle that "bail is rule and jail is exception".
"We find that, on account of a long period of incarceration running for around 17 months and the trial even not having been commenced, the appellant (Sisodia) has been deprived of his right to speedy trial," it had said.
The top court had directed him to furnish a bail bond of Rs 10 lakh with two sureties of the like amount.
It had directed that Sisodia shall surrender his passport with the special court and not make any attempt either to influence the witnesses or to tamper with the evidence.
The apex court had set aside the May 21 verdict of the Delhi High Court, which had dismissed Sisodia's pleas seeking bail in both these cases.
The ED and the CBI had opposed his bail pleas.
