Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan has been served a defamation notice by Sanatan Sanstha over his recent comment linking the group to “Sanatani terrorism.”
The organisation has demanded an unconditional apology within 15 days, warning of a defamation suit worth ₹10 crore if he fails to comply.
The legal notice was issued by Sanatan Sanstha Trustee Virendra Marathe, who accused the Congress leader of making "highly objectionable and disparaging" remarks about what he termed the “world’s richest civilisation.”
The group called on Chavan to retract his statement and refrain from repeating such comments in the future.
Speaking to the media on Friday following the Malegaon blast verdict, Chavan said the term “saffron terrorism” was inaccurate and instead suggested it be referred to as “Sanatani terrorism” or “Hindu terrorism.” He also recalled his government’s past attempt to ban a Sanatan-affiliated organisation while in power.
“You shouldn’t use the term saffron terrorism. If must say, then say Sanatan terrorist or Hindu terrorist,” Chavan had stated, drawing strong criticism from both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiv Sena.
Sanatan Sanstha’s legal counsel, Ramdas Kesarkar, claimed Chavan’s remarks were defamatory and had hurt the religious sentiments of followers of Sanatan Dharma.
“If Chavan fails to acknowledge and address our demands, we will take further legal action and lodge a criminal complaint against him,” Kesarkar said.
The organisation also questioned Chavan’s alleged silence when other senior Congress leaders, such as P Chidambaram and Sushil Kumar Shinde, had used the term “saffron terror” in the past.
The BJP and Shiv Sena have condemned Chavan’s remarks, with Sena workers staging a sit-in protest outside Tilak Bhavan, the Congress party’s Mumbai headquarters. Protesters demanded a public apology from the former chief minister.
The controversy emerged following the verdict in the 2006 Malegaon blast case, in which an explosive tied to a motorcycle detonated near a mosque, killing six people and injuring scores.
A special NIA court acquitted all seven accused, including BJP MP Pragya Thakur and Lt Col Shrikant Purohit, citing lack of evidence presented by the prosecution.
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