BJP leaders stage dharnas, recite Hanuman Chalisa on blasts anniv

Jaipur: Holding the Congress government in Rajasthan responsible for the acquittal of the accused in the Jaipur serial blasts case, the Opposition BJP on Saturday held dharnas and recited Hanuman Chalisa in parts of the city to mark the 15th anniversary of the bombings.A series of blasts had killed 71 people and left 180 injured in Jaipur on May 13, 2008. Bombs went off one after another at Manak Chawk Khanda, Chandpole Gate, Badi Chaupad, Chhoti Chaupad, Tripolia Gate, Johri Bazar and Sanganeri Gate.Rajasthan High Court in March this year acquitted four accused, who were awarded the death penalty by a lower court in 2019, on the ground of shoddy investigation. A fifth accused was acquitted by the lower court in 2019.“The accused were acquitted due to weak prosecution. Those who should had been handed the death penalty were acquitted because of poor investigation and poor prosecution by the Congress government. BJP stands with the families of the victims,” state BJP president CP Joshi said at a dharna in Hawa Mahal area.Rajasthan food and civil supplies minister Pratap Singh Khachariyawas described BJP’s dharnas as “drama' and said BJP leaders were shedding “crocodile tears” 15 years after the blasts. The state food minister said BJP faced a humiliating defeat in Karnataka Assembly elections because it wanted to win the elections in the name of Bajrang Bali, who is with Congress.“Congress is the true bhakt (devotee) of Bajrang Bali. BJP wanted to win Karnataka elections in the name of Bajrang Bali, but wherever they recited Hanuman Chalisa, Congress candidates won,” he said.Khachariyawas accused BJP of snatching food from people because of high inflation. “Their intentions are not good and therefore they are losing mass support,” he alleged.A lower court in December 2019 awarded the death sentence to Mohammad Sarwar Azmi, Mohammad Saif, Mohammad Salman and Saifur Rahman. It acquitted Shahbaz Hussain, giving him the benefit of doubt.The four given the death penalty challenged the lower court’s order in Rajasthan High Court, and a division bench acquitted them on March 29. It also upheld the acquittal of Shahbaz Hussain.Rajasthan High Court described the case as a classic example of institutional failure resulting in botched/flowed/shoddy investigation. Recently, the state government filed a special Leave Petition (SLP) in the Supreme Court challenging the acquittals by the high court. PTI