BJP using different approaches for Yakub, Malegaon blast accused: Digvijay

Digvijay Singh. PTI file photo

BJP government is adopting "different approaches" while dealing with terrorists like Yakub Memon, the death row convict in 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts case, and those involved in Malegaon blasts case in order to protect RSS activists, Congress leader Digvijay Singh alleged today.

"While in case of Yakub Memon there is one approach, a different one is seen in the cases such as Malegaon bomb blasts in order to protect the RSS activists," he said while addressing a meeting of Congress workers here.

Asserting that Congress has always been against any interference with the functioning of the judiciary, Digvijay said, "We do not know whether the RAW (Research and Analysis Wing) had made any promise with regard to death sentence to Yakub Memon. But we believe that a terrorist has no religion or caste."

Memon is facing execution on July 30. However, uncertainty prevails over his hanging in view of his petition filed before the Supreme Court arguing that correct procedure was not adopted by court in dealing with his curative plea.

The Congress leader also criticised Hyderabad-based MIM (The All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul Muslimeen), saying it was "helping" the BJP by inciting passions of Muslim community.

Digvijay claimed the BJP wanted fundamentalist parties like the MIM to participate in elections in order to divide the Muslim votes in the process of polarisation.

He also asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to respond to allegations of irregularities and corruption against BJP ministers Sushma Swaraj and Vasundhara Raje and end his "maun (silence)" on the issue.

On Vyapam scam, he said the Madhya Pradesh Governor should have resigned the day an FIR was filed against him in this regard.

The future choice is between the secular and socialist ideology of the Congress and the fundamentalist RSS, Digvijay said as he urged party workers to fight to protect the interest of the underprivileged sections of the society