26/11 Martyr Hemant Karkare 'Not Killed By Terrorists': Maha Cong Leader Links Case To RSS, Draws Flak From BJP

Hemant Karkare was the chief of the Mumbai ATS. He was killed in action during the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

Maharashtra Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar stoked a controversy after he claimed that former ATS chief Hemant Karkare was not killed by terrorists. ( Image Source :Vijay Wadettiwar/ Facebook )

Maharashtra Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar stoked a controversy after he claimed that former ATS chief Hemant Karkare was not killed by terrorists during the 26/11 attack but by a police official close to Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, as reported by news agency ANI on Sunday.

Hemant Karkare was the chief of the Mumbai Anti-Terrorism Squad. He was killed in action during the 2008 Mumbai attacks. In 2009, he was posthumously given the Ashoka Chakra.

Speaking at a press conference held in Kolhapur on Sunday, Wadettiwar asserted, "There were no bullet wounds on Hemant Karkare's body during the attacks. This is not just my opinion, but a fact mentioned in the book written by S.M. Mushrif. If this is true, then it indicates a conspiracy against the nation, as I have stated," as reported by ABP Majha.  

The remarks made by Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra Assembly Wadettiwar sparked a row and drew flak from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction).

Reacting to Congress leader Wadettiwar's remarks, the BJP said that Wadettiwar is giving cover fire to Pakistan by saying that Hemant Karkare was not killed by Pakistani terrorists.

"The Congress government itself had blamed Pakistan and Hafiz Saeed for the 26/11 attacks but what 'jugalbandi' are they doing for some votes? Couple of days ago, former Pakistani minister Fawad Chaudhry had praised Rahul Gandhi and now, the Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra Assembly (Vijay Wadettiwar) is giving cover fire to Pakistan by saying that (the then Maharashtra ATS chief) Hemant Karkare wasn't killed by Pakistani terrorists. They are making fun of Hemant Karkare's sacrifice," BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi said.

VIDEO | Here's what BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi (@SudhanshuTrived) said on Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar's purported remarks on 26/11 martyrs and Mumbai Police.

"The Congress government itself had blamed Pakistan and Hafiz Saeed for the 26/11 attacks but what 'jugalbandi' are… pic.twitter.com/CUUrmEPMXW

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 5, 2024

Shiv Sena leader Milind Deora said that such remarks made by Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra Assembly are shameful and the opposition party is busy giving "clean chit to the Pakistan". Speaking to ANI, Milind Deora said, "It is a very shameful statement. During the 26/11 attack. I saw the pain, suffering and terror that the people of South Mumbai, Maharashtra and India had to witness. Why are they trying to appease Pakistan and blame one community? As an Indian, a responsible leader from an Opposition party is making this statement for the second time from the same party and giving a clean chit to Pakistan".

Vijay Wadettiwar Issues Clarification

Following the outrage over his remarks, Vijay Wadettiwar issued a clarification, saying that these are not his words and it has been mentioned in the book authored by SM Mushrif, a former Inspector General of Police, Maharashtra. "Those are not my words, I just said what was written in the book by SM Mushrif. Every information was there about the bullet by which Hemant Karkare was shot, it was not the bullet of terrorists," he said, as quoted by ANI.