In a bold and unapologetic statement following the acquittal of all accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, NCP-SCP MLA Jitendra Awhad has reignited debate over the ideological underpinnings of Sanatan Dharma, calling it a “perverted” system that has historically oppressed marginalised communities and reformers in India, reported the Maktoob Media.
Speaking to reporters, Awhad said, “Sanatan Dharma has ruined India. There was never any religion called Sanatan Dharma; we are followers of Hindu Dharma.” He argued that the glorification of Sanatan Dharma is nothing more than a weapon used to preserve caste privilege and suppress voices of equality.
He accused the Sanatan tradition of having denied Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj his coronation, defamed Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, and attempted to assassinate reformer Jyotirao Phule. “They threw filth at Savitribai Phule, conspired against Shahu Maharaj, and denied basic dignity to Babasaheb Ambedkar,” he asserted, citing historical records of humiliation and discrimination.
Awhad further reminded that Dr B.R. Ambedkar rejected Sanatan values by publicly burning the Manusmriti, a scripture that sanctioned caste-based inequality. “It was Sanatan Dharma that stood against equality. Its defenders continue to worship Manusmriti over the Constitution,” he said.
Taking to social media platform X, Awhad expanded his remarks, stating, “Sanatan terrorism must be acknowledged. It has existed since ancient times and still thrives today.” He listed a long line of reformers and visionaries — from Buddha, Charvaka, Basaveshwara, and Sant Tukaram, to Ambedkar and Mahatma Gandhi — who, according to him, were targeted by this oppressive ideology and its loyalists.
He also cited the modern-day assassinations of rationalists Narendra Dabholkar, Govind Pansare, M.M. Kalburgi, and Gauri Lankesh as evidence of the continuing violence perpetrated in the name of Sanatan ideology.
“Those who view women as objects, enforce caste hierarchies, and reject democratic values are the true Sanatan terrorists,” Awhad declared. “As long as this ideology survives, casteism and inequality will persist in India. It has existed for thousands of years and, unless challenged, will exist for thousands more.”
Predictably, Awhad’s remarks drew sharp condemnation from right-wing leaders and Hindutva outfits. BJP MP Medha Kulkarni claimed Awhad lacked scriptural knowledge and alleged that the Congress and its allies were acting under foreign influence to undermine “civilizational values.”
Shiv Sena Minister Shambhuraj Desai called the remarks “unacceptable,” while VHP Spokesperson Vinod Bansal accused Awhad of belonging to the “corrupt Congress clan” responsible for dividing the country.
At the heart of this debate is the Malegaon blast case, in which a special NIA court acquitted seven accused, including former BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur and Lt Col Prasad Purohit. The 2008 bombing killed six Muslim worshippers and had earlier drawn attention to the possibility of “saffron terror.”
BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra used the opportunity to target the Congress party, accusing it of manufacturing terms like “Hindu terrorist” and “Sanatan terrorist.” He referred to former Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde’s use of the term “saffron terror,” alleging it was done under pressure from the Gandhi family.
Despite this backlash, Jitendra Awhad’s statements have resonated with many who see Sanatan Dharma not as a faith, but as an ideological fortress for caste supremacy, patriarchy, and social exclusion.
