Breaking his silence on Malegaon main accused Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, Leader of Opposition L K Advani openly came out in support of the sadhvi, saying that he was shocked and outraged by the way the sadhvi was being treated by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad.

Following BJP president Rajnath Singh's course, Advani said: "So far, I had refrained from commenting on the allegations leveled by the ATS against sadhvi Pragya and her supposed associates. But after going through her affidavit detailing how she was physically and psychologically tortured and abused in obscene language by her interrogators, I have to express my shock and outrage which I am sure all Indians will share."

More than making up for the delay in defending the Malegaon attack suspects, the BJP stalwart, in a tough tenor, spoke in an all-out defence of the sadhvi, charging Maharashtra ATS with acting in a "politically motivated and unprofessional manner." While the thrust of Advani's statement was on defending the sadhvi, his sympathies for Lt Colonel Shrikant Purohit, another accused in the September 29 'revenge blast' at Malegaon, were also clearly evident. Advani's statement, condemning the "barbaric treatment" meted out to a "spiritual person", can be termed as BJP's 'somersault on terrorism', and has made the BJP's NDA allies nervous. In fact, influential sections of the NDA, like the Janata Dal (United), which has already differed with the BJP over the Shiv Sena's anti-Bihari campaign in Mumbai, have distanced themselves from Advani's statement.

A section of BJP has been concerned that the party has allowed itself to be part of a RSS-VHP campaign. The VHP accusing Congress of vilifying the Army has worrying implications, as investigations in the Malegaon case are still underway.