With Tahawwur Rana extradited from the US and arrested by the NIA, Union Minister Piyush Goyal has raked up a fresh controversy over 26/11 attacker Ajmal Kasab's treatment under the UPA government led by Congress.
Goyal alleged that the Congress government "fed biriyani" to terrorist Kasab. He went on to allege that the Congress did nothing against the terrorists while Prime Minister Narendra Modi brought the culprits to justice. "The people of Mumbai are greatful to Modi ji," the minister said.
#WATCH | Mumbai: On 26/11 Mumbai attacks accused Tahawwur Rana's extradition to India, Mohammed Taufiq, a tea seller known as 'Chhotu Chai Wala' whose alertness helped a large number of people escape the attack, says, "...For India, there is no need to provide him with a cell.… pic.twitter.com/zLqHEt7sHs
— ANI (@ANI) April 9, 2025
He then alleged that Uddhav Thackeray is doing appeasement politics, with Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders like Sanjay Raut would defend a Muslim person even if that person is a criminal. "The INDIA bloc can't think ahead of appeasement politics and doesn't have positive thinking like PM Modi," added the minister.
Goyal's remarks comes a day after a tea seller, Mohammed Taufiq, who helped many people escape the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, said that Rana should not be given special treatment. He said the terrorist should not be given a separate cell or biriyani like Ajmal Kasab.
VIDEO | Police personnel and vehicles stationed outside Palam Air Force Station, Delhi.
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) April 10, 2025
Tahawwur Rana, a key accused in the 2008 attacks, is being brought to India on a special flight after his last-ditch attempt to evade extradition failed as the US Supreme Court justices… pic.twitter.com/V1wnPpJm1p
Rana was brought in a special plane from the US and he arrived at Palam technical area in Delhi around 2.50. The NIA has arrested the terrorist and is set to be brought to the NIA headquarters. He will be lodged at the high-security Tihar Jail. On Friday, Rana will be presented at a special NIA court.
Taufiq who was running a tea shop at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus guided several people towards a safe place at the busy station to escape from the attackers. He also helped shift the injured to hospital.
In 2015, the public prosecutor in the case, Ujjwal Nikam, clarified that claims about Kasab being fed mutton biriyani was "concocted" in a bid to stop an "emotional wave" in favour of the terrorist.
"Kasab never demanded biryani and was never served by the government. I concocted it just to break an emotional atmosphere which was taking shape in favour of Kasab during the trial of the case," Nikam had said.
