“Hindus can never be terrorists." It may sound like a slogan, but it rings axiomatic. A special NIA court in Mumbai has broken the back of a long-running politico-legal conspiracy, one that sought to link Sanatan Dharma with terrorism. With the exoneration of Sadhvi Pragya, Lt Col Purohit, and five others in the Malegaon blast case, the myth of “Hindu terror" lies dead and buried.

Special Judge AK Lahoti couldn’t have been clearer. The judge observed that “upon comprehensive evaluation, the prosecution has failed to bring any cogent evidence, and the evidence is riddled with inconsistencies." Why? Because, and this is crucial, the judge observed “conviction cannot be based on moral grounds." In short: a political idea cannot substitute for........

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