Even after Karkare,will the white -collar terrorists be un-masked?
Hemant karkare came to meet me on Tuesday. He was shaken by L. K. Advani's allegations that the antiterrorist squad, which he headed, had acted "in a politically motivated and unprofessional manner'' in the Malegaon blasts investigation. He explained how the ATS had stumbled on the evidence against Pragya Thakur and how the investigations developed. He was as surprised as me that a seasoned politician like Advani should have joined Hindutva's chorus against him.
Hemant Karkare was a true Hindu. He believed in his dharma. He had expected his co-religionists to believe likewise. He was astonished that the staunch proponents of Hindutva did not subscribe to the teachings of the scriptures!
Hemant Karkare was one of Maharashtra's best police officers. I dare say he was one of India's best. His integrity was unimpeachable. Mumbai policemen who have privately divided the senior police leadership into two distinct compartments-corrupt and noncorrupt-had placed Karkare squarely among the latter. His application and abilities were outstanding. Above all, he was people-oriented.
When he was SP, Gadchiroli, the Naxalites had targeted him for elimination. The Indian Muhajideen had threatened to eliminate him following his inquiries into the Delhi blasts. Muslim clerics gheraoed him in his office after he ordered combing operations in Mograpada in Andheri. And finally there was the saffron brigade.
The fidayeen, who got him, just did not know who they had killed. Hemant Karkare had rushed in to save hostages and died doing his duty.
The Hindutva forces had praised the ATS when it brought jihadi terrorists to book, conveniently targeting it only after the Malegaon investigations. L K Advani's blatant attempts to politicise the investigations for being "politically motivated and unprofessional manner'' are laughable and need to be unequivocally condemned because anyone who knew Karkare knew he was the last person to succumb to political machinations. One can understand the BJP's anxiety to obfuscate facts. The revelations during the investigations have hurt them.
The campaign against the ATS and the attempt to politicise the Malegaon investigations may help the BJP to win some votes in the coming elections but they are playing with fire by assaulting the judicial process system. What are they going to do about the mass of evidence so assiduously collected by the ATS? And will they encourage fringe elements in the Hindu community to resort to terrorism, should they come to power? They should think seriously about the consequences of their ill-conceived adventure.
In the meantime, a truly distinguished officer, Hemant Karkare, is not alive to suffer their barbs. He has laid down his life for his principles.

After terrorist attack on Mumbai resignations of central home minister Mr. Shivraj Patil and national security advisor Mr.N.K.Narainan are right steps taken at wrong time. These two resignations must have been submitted after questions raised at operation Batla House, These must have been submitted after attacks on Christians and Churches in Orissa, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka. These must have been submitted after bomb blasts of Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Malegaon, Delhi and Gwahati. These must have been submitted after communal riots of Bhainsa (Andhra Pradesh), Dhoolia (Maharashtra), and murder of 6 family members of an Army man who were burnt to death in Vatoli (Aadilabad).
No doubt, terrorist attack on Mumbai is definitely such a big incident which requires the resignations of home minister Shivraj Patil and national security adviser N.K.Narainan. But, in-spite of last several failures, and their being continued at these posts, Mumbai ATS chief Mr. Hemant Karkare and his team, during their investigations in Malegaon bomb blastcase, did expose such facts which indicate terrorists activities by the people in the garb of Sadhus and Sadhvis under the patronage of politicians. Dangerous plans were made, to the extent that due to prevalent filthy ideology of Bhagva-Brigade, dangerous virus of terrorism inflicted Indian Army. Lt. col. Purohit and ex-military officer Upadhyaye were arrested. If Hement Karkare would not have fell victim to terrorists attack in Mumbai, then, perhaps this network of terrorism could have been exposed completely.
But meeting of leader of opposition Mr. L.K.Advani with PM with the excuse to discuss alleged atrocities on sadhvi Prigya singh Thakur in custody and subsequent meeting of national security advisor M.N.K. Narainan with Mr. L.K.Advani at his residence for clarification, were two incidents, which were indication that central government will be forced to put restrictions on investigations of ATS in Malegaon bomb-blast case. But this was a remote observation beyond imagination that Hemant Karkare will be killed in a terrorist attack. Did Hemant Karkare and Mohan Chand Sharma meet with similar type of incidents? Can terrorist cross any limits to achieve their nefarious goals?
Deccan Mujahedin were blamed first, for involvement in Mumbai terrorist attack or
It is more appropriate to say that Deccan Mujahedeen owned the responsibility for these attack first. But media and intellectuals questioned, whether an un known organization which seems to be limited in and around only Hyderabad, can perpetrate the terrorist attack of such huge horrendous scale? After this, the allegations of involvement of Pakistan were made. We are not rejecting this, neither, we admit it as acceptable. There are certain questions linked with these allegations, which are very important to be raised. If according to these, it is proved that this attack was accomplished by Pakistani terrorists, then statement of police will stand true. And if questions being raised, circumstances and incidents indicate that this is a cooked story then reader's decision will prevail. We don't want to say any thing.
At present not only We, but a number of others are also thinking on these lines that the investigations led by ATS Chief Hemant Karkare in Malegaon bomb blast case was un-veiling many secrets those terrorists who are in the garb of Sadhus and Sadhvis, their real faces being exposed and this fire was not only engulfing Sangh parivar but it was reaching upto the door steps of it's political organization BJP. In this context, we will continue to present our observations and research. As a first part of this series, we are publishing as follows, the statement of Senior Poice officer Julio Ribeiro which he gave during the last rites of Hemant Karkare.