Mahima Sikand TNN
Mumbai: After two of its members were convicted in the Thane blast case, right wing group Sanatan Sanstha termed the state’s proposal to ban it a “malicious conspiracy”.
The organization’s spokesperson, Abhay Vartak, said the ban was part of the Congress’ strategy to malign pro-Hindu groups and divert attention of the public from issues of corruption and mis-governance. Varatk told reporters that there was no mention of the organization in the recent judgment passed by the trial court in the Thane blast case and its name was also not stated as an accused in the charge-sheet filed by the ATS. He asked, “The judge did not even label the convicted men as terrorists. So how can the government, by some extrapolation, declare us a terrorist outfit?”
Condemning the blasts, Vartak said the organization had not lent any financial, legal or ideological support to the two men. However, he said, the acts were a “reaction to the frustration felt by the majority community in India”. “The government was quick to ban Satanic Verses as that offended Muslims. But despite our repeated requests to ban offensive material like J o d h a A k b a r and A m i P a c h p u t e, the government turns a deaf ear towards us. Why are we oppressed in our own country?”
He added they would take the case to the judiciary if the government imposed a ban.
The Times of India, September 14, 2011
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