Amid the ongoing 2022 Vidhan Sabha polls in the state of Uttar Pradesh, the BJP on Saturday slammed Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav after one of his party leader’s son was found guilty in the 2008 Ahmedabad serial blasts case.
Union communication and broadcasting minister Anurag Thakur lambasted Akhilesh Yadav for his deafening silence over the verdict in the 2008 Ahmedabad serial blast case, citing the fact that one of the convicts is the son of a Samajwadi Party leader.
“We welcome the court judgment. Of the 49 convicted, Mohd Saif is the son of SP leader Shadab Ahmed. Why is Akhilesh silent over this? These photos show him with the then CM Akhilesh Yadav. Did Akhilesh Yadav call him over biryani? The politician’s son was the mastermind and involved in the blasts,” union communication and broadcasting minister Anurag Thakur, who is the BJP’s co-in-charge for the ongoing polls in Uttar Pradesh, was quoted by news agency ANI as stating.
One of these 49, Mohd Saif is the son of SP leader Shadab Ahmed. Why is Akhilesh silent over this? These photos show him with the then CM Akhilesh Yadav. Did Akhilesh Yadav call him over biryani? His son was the mastermind and involved in the blasts: Union Minister Anurag Thakur pic.twitter.com/PY3qLCbOXP
— ANI (@ANI) February 19, 2022
The union minister further stated, “We welcome the judgment by the Court. Quantum of sentence was pronounced against 49 convicts – 38 were sentenced to capital punishment, 11 to life imprisonment. This had happened when Narendra Modi was the CM of Gujarat”.
Md Saif, son of SP leader Shadab Ahmed, was arrested in September 2008 following the blasts in July that year. He was arrested from Delhi’s Jamia Nagar where he was staying at that time. Saif’s roommates Atif and Sajid were killed in a police shootout when they had tried to flea, while Saif was injured. After the arrest, Shadab Ahmed had said that his son had told him that he was doing an English speaking course in Delhi.
While 49 accused were convicted in the case, 38 of them were awarded death sentence by a special court in Ahmedabad, and the rest 11 were awarded life imprisonment. According to the list of those awarded death sentences published by the media, Saif also seems to have been awarded capital punishment.
BJP senior leader and union HM Amit Shah hits out at Akhilesh Yadav
Meanwhile, Union home minister Amit Shah had also hit out at Akhilesh Yadav led Samajwadi Party. Speaking at an election rally in the state’s Banda area Saturday, Shah said that if the Samajwadi Party wins, ‘UP will provide terrorism all over the country.’
Uttar Pradesh | If by any chance the cycle govt (Samajwadi Party) comes to power, Uttar Pradesh will supply terrorism all over the country… under Akhilesh govt 2,000 farmers died out of hunger during famine: Union Home Minister Amit Shah, in Tindwari Assembly of Banda district pic.twitter.com/iBAxUdmIaC
— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) February 19, 2022
‘Nayi hawa hai, wahi SP hai’, Uttar Pradesh CM chastises Samajwadi Party for holding a poll rally with the kin of a convict
Earlier in the day, while addressing a rally in Pilibhit in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh, CM Yogi Adityanath had also launched an all-out attack at his predecessor, Akhilesh Yadav, stating that he was seen campaigning for votes with the family of one of the 2008 Ahmedabad serial blasts convict.
Referring to the court’s ruling in the 2008 Ahmedabad serial blasts case, the UP chief minister said, “An Ahmedabad court pronounced the quantum of sentence for 38 terrorists in the (2008) serial blasts case. Capital punishment and life imprisonment were awarded. They included some terrorists from UP too. And, the family of one of them was seen with the SP chief asking for votes for the party.”
Y’day an Ahmedabad Court pronounced quantum of sentence for 38 terrorists in (2008) serial blast case. Capital punishment & life imprisonment awarded. They included some terrorists from UP too, and the family of one of them was seen with SP chief asking for votes for SP: UP CM pic.twitter.com/K41eHIIe1a
— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) February 19, 2022
He claimed that supporting the Samajwadi Party amounted to endorsing terrorists and that while everything around has changed, the Mulayam Singh Yadav-founded party remained the same.
“You can imagine. Nayi hawa hai, wahi SP hai. SP ka haath, aatankwadiyon ke saath. This has been proven once again,” Adityanath was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
You can imagine. Nayi hawa hai, wahi SP hai. SP ka haath, aatankwadiyon ke saath. This has been proven once again: Uttar Pradesh CM and BJP leader Yogi Adityanath in Pilibhit #UttarPradeshElections2022 pic.twitter.com/soTVbObBor
— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) February 19, 2022
2008 Ahmedabad serial blasts case verdict
On Friday, a special court in Gujarat’s Ahmedabad sentenced 38 people to death and 11 to life in prison in connection with the July 26, 2008 serial blasts in the state’s main city. On February 8, the court found 49 defendants guilty, while 29 were found not guilty. The case involved a total of 80 people who were put on trial.
Uttar Pradesh will have elections in seven phases, the first two of which were held on February 10 and 14. While 58 of the 403 assembly seats were voted on in the first round, 55 were voted on in the second round, and 59 will be voted on Sunday. The remaining rounds will take place on February 23, 27, March 3 and 7, respectively. The counting will take place on March 10.
