Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister, Eknath Shinde, has come to the defense of Pragya Thakur, backing her claims of torture during the Malegaon blast investigation. Shinde levied accusations against the UPA government, alleging they orchestrated a false narrative targeting Hindutva leaders and popularizing the term “saffron terrorism.”

He went on to support Thakur’s assertion that pressure was applied to falsely implicate Prime Minister Modi. Furthermore, Shinde sharply criticized Rahul Gandhi, suggesting his recent statements align with the sentiments expressed by Pakistan.