Kolkata: The family members of Swami Aseemanand, a self-proclaimed monk and a former Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh activist, on Tuesday demanded probe against former Home Minister P Chidambaram and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi for falsely framing terror charges against him in 2007 Mecca Masjid blast case.
On Monday, a special NIA court in Hyderabad acquitted the right wing activist and four others accused in the case due to lack of evidence, 11 years after a massive blast had ripped through the Mecca Masjid on May 8, 2007, during Friday prayers, killing nine people and wounding 58.
Speaking to News18, Aseemanand’s brother Susanta Sarkar, said, “The Congress government conspired against my brother to keep the Muslim community happy. It was a ploy just to get minority votes and my brother was falsely arrested. I would like to ask P Chidambaram and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi to come out with an explanation on why my brother was arrested? Do they have any answer now?”
A resident of Hooghly, Susanta alleged that the Congress government had secured a safe passage for Pakistani terrorists who actually committed the crime and coined the term ‘Saffron Terror’ to keep the Muslim community happy.
“They snatched away my brother’s valuable 8 years. If you go to the tribal belt of Purulia, Bankura, Jharkhand, and Andamans you will see people consider him a god. You will see his name in front of tribal houses in these areas. How can such person could be framed by a political party just for their political interest? We want the Centre to probe Congress’s conspiracy behind his arrest.”
Assemanand’s mother Pramila could not hold back her tears after she got the news of her son’s release. She said, “I am very happy and proud of my son. Truth always prevail over falsehood. I demand stern action against those who framed my son.”
His elder brother, Sukumar Sarkar – a retired teacher – said that Assemanand had recently come home to meet their mother as she was unwell. He told us that he did nothing and he was framed falsely as there is no proof against him.”
“‘Ma will come back soon…I did nothing,’ he had told her,” Sukumar said.
Aseemanand was one of the 10 people accused of carrying out the explosion but a trial was only held against five. Aseemanand – popularly known as Naba Kumar Sarkar - hails from Bengal’s Hooghly district. He is a post-graduate in Botany.
He started working for ‘Adivasi Kalyan Ashram’ of RSS in Birbhum, Bankura and Purulia districts. Hindu Samhati President Debtanu Bhattacharya welcomed the court’s decision. He said, “We are trying to get in touch with him. It’s a matter of joy for all of us who fought for the rights and dignity of Hindus in India.”
Aseemanand was also acquitted last year in the 2007 Ajmer Dargah terror attack. He is an accused in the 2007 Samjhauta blasts case.
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