MUMBAI:
Congress
’s Vijay
Wadettiwar
, leader of opposition in Maharashtra assembly, claimed Saturday that the bullet that killed IPS officer Hemant
Karkare
was from the weapon of a police officer “dedicated to RSS” and not from the gun of Ajmal
Kasab
or any of the other nine Pakistani terrorists who attacked Mumbai on 26/11.
He alleged Ujjwal Nikam, special public prosecutor in the case and BJP LS candidate from Mumbai North Central, was “a traitor who suppressed this fact.”
In a video statement, Wadettiwar alleged: “During the probe, key information was out.
However, it was suppressed by Ujjwal Nikam, who is a traitor. My question is, why is BJP protecting a traitor and nominating such a person for Lok Sabha polls? By doing this, BJP is protecting traitors.”
The statement drew a strong response from Nikam and deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis.
Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis and Nikam described Wadettiwar’s allegations as baseless and irresponsible and said Congress “is pro-Kasab,” the 26/11 attacker who was caught alive and later convicted and hanged.
Nikam said, “What a reckless statement is being made. I am pained by such baseless allegations, raising doubts over my integrity. It clearly reflects the level of electoral politics. I never thought politicians will stoop to such low levels. For political gain? He (Wadettiwar) is insulting not me, but the 166 departed souls and all persons injured in the 26/11 attacks.”
He added, “They (Congress) hold Kasab as innocent. Even Pakistan had accepted that Kasab was involved in the conspiracy and in the terror attack on India and was guilty.” He said Indians very well know the legal steps he had taken to ensure Kasab’s conviction. Nikam said citizens of the nation would on June 4 (day of LS poll results) give their reply to such allegations, adding he wished not to dignify the “desperate disinformation” with a further response.
Fadnavis, meanwhile, said, “Our alliance is with Nikam, while Congress has joined hands with Kasab.”
Shiv Sena spokesperson Kiran Pawaskar said NIA should arrest Wadettiwar and ask him why he was defending Kasab. “From Wadettiwar’s statement, it appears Congress is supporting terrorists who attacked Mumbai. More shocking is the fact that Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray has maintained silence over the episode,” he said.
