Hindus directly being dubbed as 'terrorists': Shiv Sena
Mumbai: The Shiv Sena on Thursday said killers of rationalists Govind Pansare and Narendra Dabholkar should be punished, but Hindus should not be dubbed as "terrorists" in their own country by merely "adding up" different cases.
In an editorial in the party mouthpiece 'Saamana', the Sena said killings of Pansare, Dabholkar, journalist -activist Gauri Lankesh and rationalist M M Kalburgi could be individual conspiracies and the mastermind may not be the same.
Referring to the recent police action against five activists for suspected Maoist links, the party said, "The Naxal supporters who had been arrested were termed 'purported' supporters of Naxalism while Hindutvavadis were directly termed as Hindu extremists."
It is surprising that Hindus, in their own country are termed terrorists, especially in the 'Modi-Fadnavis' regime, said the Sena, which is an ally of the BJP at the Centre and in Maharashtra but has often been critical of its alliance partner.
The Sena, however, also praised Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis saying he is right in giving standing instructions to the police not to look right and left while taking action.
Earlier this month, the CBI arrested Sachin Andure, one of the alleged shooters in the Dabholkar murder case, and told a Pune court that the killings of Lankesh in Bengaluru last year and Dabholkar in Pune in 2013 were "linked".
The Maharashtra ATS has also arrested five right-wing activists in connection with the seizure of a large cache of explosives and arms earlier this month.
The CBI recently sought custody of one of these five men, Sharad Kalaskar, to question him in connection with Dabholkar's killing, but its plea was rejected by a Mumbai court.