Maharashtra Congress President Nana Patole has made a sensational claim regarding the explosive material used in the Pulwama attack. Patole claimed that the RDX for the Pulwama attack was sent from Nagpur. In other words, he was blaming the RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) for the attack which is headquartered in Nagpur though he cleverly refrained from taking names.

Patole’s unsubstantiated claims

This, of course, is not the first time that Congress has sought to create a ‘Hindu terror’ narrative by making unsubstantiated allegations against the Sangh Parivar. Congress had sought to blame the RSS for the 26/11 terror attack that had been carried out by Pakistan.

“I want to inform you all… The 300 kgs used in that terror strike was despatched from Nagpur. Who sent it, and from where was it sent?” Patole questioned. Patole was addressing a Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) rally and during his address, Patole made the claim. He further added that a CBI (Central Bureau Investigation) probe was ordered but though four years have passed there has been no outcome of the investigations.

Does Satyapal Malik harbour a grudge against the BJP?

Patole’s statement needs to be seen in the background of former Jammu & Kashmir Governor Satyapal Malik’s allegations against PM Modi. In his interview with Karan Thapar for the propaganda website The Wire, among several other things, Malik alleged that PM Modi concealed facts about the Pulwama attack. Before dwelling on Malik’s allegations, it must be mentioned here that The Wire has often been caught peddling anti-Bharat Hinduphobic propaganda.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi concealed key facts from the public about the Pulwama terror attack that killed dozens of paramilitary troops in Jammu and Kashmir in February 2019”, Malik said. Furthermore, he alleged that the PM is “ill-informed” and “has no problem with corruption”.

Malik claimed that “incompetence” and “carelessness” on the part of the Indian establishment, notably the CRPF and the home ministry, led to the attack on the Central Reserve Police Force convoy in Pulwama.

He also claimed that PM Modi asked him to keep quiet when the governor blamed the Centre for the Pulwama massacre. Additionally, Malik said that NSA Ajit Doval also ordered him to remain silent and avoid discussing the matter. He accused the PM and the Central government of trying to extract political gains in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections by blaming Pakistan for the attack. In the interview, he also said that he was removed from the Governorship as he had brought multiple cases of corruption to PM Modi’s attention that the latter chose to ignore.

While Patole sought to use Malik’s statement to attack the BJP and PM Modi, Malik himself appears to have made these claims/allegations as he harbours some grudge against the BJP. “The ‘rebellion’ of Satya Pal Malik clearly points to the fact that he is seeing no future for himself in the Narendra Modi government. The Meghalaya governor is apparently the first governor, since Independence, who has rebelled against the same government he was appointed by”, notes The Week dwelling into the reason for Malik’s attitude.

Malik won on a BJP ticket in the 2014 LS election and became a minister in the Modi government. Since 2017 he has been made the governor of Bihar, Odisha, and finally of Jammu & Kashmir in 2019. However, it seems that things changed after Amit Shah became the Home Minister (HM). Malik was reportedly in the dark about the abrogation of Article 370 despite being the governor of the state.

He was then transferred to Goa where he accused several corporate houses of being involved in corruption in mining. He even dragged RSS into the matter. Subsequently, he was sent to Meghalaya where he was initially mum but the bitterness with the HM made him outspoken. He even opposed the farm laws brought in by the Modi government. During his 2021 visit to Jaipur also he criticised the PM Modi-led government.

Malik’s statement appears to be made more out of frustration than being substantiated with proof. Congress leaders like Patole adding their own unsubstantiated claims only makes the opposition look desperate and seems like they are trying to tarnish the PM due to their own failures.

(Featured Image Source: The Economic Times)