It is but a shame that the National Investigation Agency of India has cleared Colonel P. S. Purohit and his accomplices in uniform of the charges of terrorism including Samjhota Express attacks that killed 68 people mostly Pakistanis. He was arrested in 2008 by Mumbai Anti-terrorism Squad over concrete evidence of his role as the chief planner of the deadly attacks. Any doubt about the evidence stood removed with the confession of the RSS Chief Assemanand who stated before the authorities that Purohit was, indeed, involved.Now the brazen manner in which the matter has been hushed up clearly shows that behind the murder of ATS Chief Hemant Karkare, who had arrested Purohit, and was serious about bringing him to justice were the same Hindu extremist forces. Karkare’s lips were sealed forever since he wanted to bring the truth before the world that elements in the Indian Army were involved in targeting Muslims. All this was being done to protect Colonel Purohit and indeed there is little doubt that this also is aimed to draw a veil over the army-Hindutva terrorist links and the threat they posed to the South Asian Muslim community.
This is a sad reflection on the Indian Army and investigating agencies. Evidence had been presented before Indian courts but it is outrageous that the culprits were not given punishment speedily and instead cases were dragged on and sent for further investigation. Little wonder now they are on the way to be let off the hook. The same had happened with the Babri mosque where an usually long time was taken by the courts to give the verdict.The question if New Delhi is letting Purohit go scot-free because it did not want to hand him over to Pakistan also needs to be asked. India has been exposed and its charges of terrorism against Pakistan are merely an attempt to hide a skeleton in the cupboard. The scourge lies within its own land. – Nation
