Hindu Rashtra

Investigation into the Malegaon blast has revealed that the suspects were looking beyond maiming the textile town. They were actually working to convert India into a “Hindu Rashtra” by 2025.“Interrogation of Sudhakar Dwivedi alias Dayanand Pandey, who is in police custody till December 1, has revealed that the group was working to create an ‘Aryavarta Rashtra’ in India,’’ an ATS official said. “They wanted to make India like what it was when it was ruled by the Aryans; their dream was to convert the country into a Hindu Rashtra and an Akhand Bharat,’’ an official said. The suspects planned to infiltrate government departments everywhere in the country with like-minded people and then convert India from a secular country into a Hindu Rashtra, officials said. “They had also planned their life in exile if their conspiracy was foiled and they happened to be ousted by the government. Purohit assured some of the other accused that they would contact other nations for asylum if they faced any problem,’’ one of them added. But why didn’t the interrogation of Lt-Col Purohit reveal this “fact’’? An official said, “We did not imagine that the suspects would have such a plan. Our main focus was on the Malegaon blast. So, we compiled questions focusing only on the blast for narco analysis. It was only after the examination of Dwivedi’s laptop that we came to know about this.’’ Dwivedi, arrested from Kanpur on November 14 for a suspected role in September’s Malegaon blast, is accused of instructing Lt-Col Purohit to procure the RDX and execute the blast. The ATS has arrested 11 people so far. Dwivedi is also believed to have told ATS sleuths that he first joined the Indian Air Force in 1989 but opted out in 1990. Officials managed to seize his two laptops before he could destroy them. “The police found records of over 15 meetings Dwivedi had with the other accused in the blast. Purohit used to videograph these meetings and, at one of these meetings, Abhinav Bharat convener Sameer Kulkarni is seen discussing funds collected for their cause,’’ an official said. Special public prosecutor Rohini Salian has told a MCOCA court that Dwivedi is clearly heard asking others to “now listen to my plan’’ about the blast. “We have to do our duty in the interest of the nation and justice,’’ Salian said, referring to the larger conspiracy. Dwivedi is also seen talking about RDX, remote controls, timers, short- and long-range weapons and the conspiracy, Salian has told the court.