PANIPAT (HARYANA): Coming out in support of Malegaon accused Pragnya Singh Thakur and Lieutenant-Colonel Shrikant Purohit, BJP president Rajnath Singh on Sunday said his party will protect the interests of Hindu saints and back those accused in the Malegaon blast.

“Politics in India has always had a deep relationship with religion. I, on behalf of the BJP, want to assure the seers that maligning of their name by the UPA will not be tolerated by the party,” Mr. Singh said at a Sangh parivar conclave here.

Mr. Singh alleged that Purohit was being falsely implicated by the UPA government in the Samjhauta Express blast.

“These investigations are inspired by political motives,” he said.

VHP’s international president Ashok Singhal accused UPA president Sonia Gandhi of conspiring three years ago to malign Hindus in India in an attempt to dilute their faith. “The harassment and arrest of Kanchi Shankaracharya on murder charges was planned by her,” said Mr. Singhal.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Bhuvan Chand Khanduri, who is a retired senior army official, also took a dig at the UPA government for its alleged attempt to malign Hindu saints and soldiers. “It is time that the Hindu community stands unified against such allegations (of Hindu terrorism),” said Mr. Khanduri.

RSS chief K.C. Sudarshan criticised Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and said he at times showed signs of “mental instability.”

“The concept of Hindu terrorism is sheer madness as the term Hindu stands for a tolerant and all-inclusive faith,” said Mr. Sudarshan.

Hindu saints representing 13 ‘Akharas’ were present at the conclave. – PTI

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