RSS leader in Ajmer blast chargesheet sees conspiracy

Senior Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh leader Indresh Kumar, whose name was included in the Ajmer dargah blast case chargesheet by the Rajasthan Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), has alleged political conspiracy.

In his written statement released by the RSS media cell, Kumar said that though it was unfortunate, he was forced to take the matter to court.

“The ATS is conspiring against me. Though I am not an accused according to the ATS chargesheet, it has conspired on an absolutely baseless story,” the statement said, adding that “the RSS does not believe in any type of social or political violence.”

The Sangh defended Kumar strongly, but in a language different from its rigid stance that Hindus cannot be involved in violence or anti-national activities.

Unlike in the Malegaon blast case, when the RSS outright rejected the idea of a Hindu being involved in an act of violence, on Saturday — in a rare gesture — the Sangh admitted that disgruntled Hindus might be involved in such acts in their individual capacity, making it clear that the RSS has started to make distinctions between its own cadre and the accused in the Ajmer dargah blast case.

“The organisation has not done anything. Some people aggrieved by the attack on Hindu temples might have tried to avenge that,” said Dr Ramesh Gupta, Sah Prant Sanghchalak of Jaipur said, adding that the allegation against Indresh Kumar was a conspiracy to defame nationalist organisations.

“The whole conspiracy can be traced to the assembly elections in Bihar and the recent verdict in the Ram Janmabhoomi case. The ATS has said nothing but Congress leaders have made allegations against the Sangh with an eye on the Bihar elections,” Sanjay, the RSS media-in-charge in Rajasthan, said.

A former RSS pracharak and additional advocate-general KN Bhatt also raised questions about the way ATS included Indresh Kumar’s name in the chargesheet. “Who told the ATS about the presence of Indresh Kumar in the meeting? The ATS has not mentioned it anywhere. Also, why didn’t the ATS send him a notice for interrogation?” Bhatt asked.

According to Bhatt, a person’s name cannot be included in a chargesheet without him/her being interrogated.

In Pune to attend a function, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Saturday said that he would comment on the chargesheet only after going through the report. Bhagwat who had earlier said that there was nothing like ‘Saffron terrorism’, maintained his views on the same.

The charge sheet has held the Hindu radical group, Abhinav Bharat supporters responsible for the Ajmer blasts including Devendra Gupta, Lokesh Sharma, Chander Shekhar Lave, Sandeep Dange and Ramji Kalsangre. While Gupta, Sharma and Lave are in judicial custody, Dange and Kalsangre are absconding according to Rajasthan ATS. Sunil Joshi, another accused in this case died while the investigation was going on.