Devika Rotawan, the youngest eye-witness in the trial of 26/11 terrorist Ajmal Kasab, slammed Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar without naming him for his statement about the death of then Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad chief Hemant Karkare and said one should not “sprinkle salt on wounds”.
Mr Wadettiwar, the Leader of Opposition in the state assembly, claimed that Hemant Karkare, the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad chief during the 26/11 terror attack, wasn’t killed by Kasab but by a bullet fired by a policeman affiliated to the RSS.
The Congress leader made the statement as he attacked the BJP’s Mumbai North Central candidate Ujjwal Nikam – the special public prosecutor in the 26/11 trial.
“If Kasab did not fire on 26/11 then who did? No one will ever be able to forget the terror attack. You scratch our wounds and then sprinkle salt into it. If you want to do politics, do it on other topic and not on this,” she told news agency PTI.
On November 26, 2008, Ms Rotawan, her father Natwarlal and brother Akash were waiting for a train at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) when Kasab and an accomplice opened fire.
Shot in the right leg, Ms Rotawan, who needed crutches for a long time, became the youngest eye-witness to depose in court during Kasab’s trial that eventually saw him being awarded the death penalty.
“What is he (Vijay Wadettiwar) doing in India if he wants to support Pakistan?” Ms Rotawan said, adding that the allegations against Ujjwal Nikam were wrong since the lawyer “did so much for the nation and sent Kasab to the gallows”.
Slamming Mr Wadettiwar, she said he was making such statements just at the time of election and asserted he does not have the right to stay in this country.
“Ujjwal Nikam did not lie or betray his country. If you want to praise Kasab, go and stay in Pakistan,” she said.
