“The video was manipulated and his photographs and the man shown in it did not match during forensic test.? It was on March 30, 2006 that Madhya Pradesh police gave this statement about investigation they made regarding BJP leader Sanjay Joshi'sCD controversy. Inspector General of Police (CID) M.P. Dwiwedi stated: ?It seems there was an attempt to blackmail and threaten Joshi using forged electronic tools as the report received from the forensic laboratory in Hyderabad opined that his photographs and man in the CD didn'tmatch.??
As soon as the news reached 98, Indraprastha Nagar, Nagpur, where Shri Sanjay Joshi resides, the feelings of happiness of Shri Joshi'sfamily burst out. Though his close aides and his family members were confident of getting him a clean chit, still an authentic official statement was awaited.
Shri Nitin Gadkari, state BJP president, Shri Girish Vyas, city president, Shri Devendra Fadanvis, MLA, Dr. Vilas Dangre, chairman, Shri Narkesari Prakashan, Shri Anil Dandeka, managing director, Shri Narkesari Prakashan, Shri Mohan Mate, ex-MLA, Shri Sudhakar Deshmukh, senior BJP leader, Shri Anil Sole, vice-president, city BJP unit, Shri Sanjay Bhende, general secretary, city BJP unit, Shri Girish Deshmukh, general secretary, city BJP unit, Shri Sandip Joshi, president, BJYM, Dr. Upendra Kothekar, Shri Ashok Mankar, district BJP chief, Shri Sanjay Bangale, Shri Vivek Tarase along with many BJP and RSS workers reached his residence to greet him.
It was in last December when allegations were levelled against Shri Joshi and he resigned as BJP National General Secretary, saying that unless his innocence was proved he would not hold the office.
March 30 was the birthday of Shri Sanjay Joshi. What can be a better birthday gift for him than getting a clean chit? His father Shri Vinayak Joshi and mother Smt Sushma Joshi were silent, as happiness was glittering on their faces. His brother Rajiv was answering the phone, ringing constantly-everybody wanting to talk to Shri Sanjay Joshi and congratulate him. The dark period in the aftermath of a CD, which was circulated on the eve of BJP silver jubilee session, after which Shri Joshi decided to quit his post and stepped aside as a Pracharak of RSS, is over. Shri Joshi appeared before mediapersons with Shri Anil Sole and Shri Girish Deshmukh. Shri Gadkari and Dr. Dangre gave him sweets and crackers were burst; everybody shouted slogans and a Deepavali-like atmosphere prevailed.
When asked for his reactions, he said, ?I knew I am innocent, I grew up with the Sangh samskar so I was sure that such kind of offences cannot be committed by me. It was the conspiracy of somebody. But to maintain the dignity of office I resigned from the post and stated that I shall not join the office till my innocence is proved. Accordingly, we made a complaint to Madhya Pradesh Police. Now everybody knows what Madhya Pradesh Police has stated.??
Shri Gadkari said: ?We were sure of his innocence. I have worked with him and I know his humbleness and simplicity. I have visited his room when he became National General Secretary of BJP. He used to sleep on floor. It shows what kind of simple life he used to live. Now as an authority stated his innocence, we are feeling like Deepavali on Gudi Padwa (Marathi New Year). We are grateful to RSS leadership that they have kept faith in Sanjay Joshi.?? On April 3 he was reinstated as BJP National General Secretary by Party President Shri Rajnath Singh. When asked by Organiser about this development, Shri Joshi said: ?I express my gratitude towards Party President and his colleagues who stood by me during the hour of crisis. I would not let down the party bosses who reposed complete faith in me.?
Shri Joshi said he would discharge his responsibility with all the humility and would strive to uphold the highest standards of public life. ?I express my gratitude towards RSS leadership,? he added.
The reappointment of Shri Joshi was in pipeline. After a statement was issued by RSS Sarkaryavah Shri Mohan Bhagwat, it became clear that he would be reinstated. Shri Sanjay Joshi visited Reshimbagh Smriti Mandir premises on March 31 where he paid obeisance to Dr. Hedgewar'sstatue. He garlanded Smritichinh of Shri Guruji.
Shri Sanjay Joshi is a RSS Pracharak. West Nagpur constituency is his creation, which Congress had been reigning for long. But Shri Joshi with his hard work had broken the Congress supremacy. A person was murdered in one of the slums of West Nagpur, which frightened the complete area. Seeing the situation, Shri Joshi stayed there for three days and three nights. This is only one example of his hard work, because of which during the CD controversy people stood behind him like a rock.
Shri Sanjay Joshi will remain an integral part of Pracharak system of RSS, said Sarkaryavah Shri Mohan Bhagwat in a statement issued on April 1.
Laying to rest all speculations about the status of Shri Sanjay Joshi within the RSS, Shri Bhagwat pointed out that Shri Joshi had voluntarily stepped down as a Pracharak due to false and totally baseless allegation levelled against him in a CD case. In fact, it was a purely personal decision of Shri Joshi and he had vowed to remain away as Pracharak unless his innocence was proved.
Shri Bhagwat said, everybody in RSS was confident about the innocence of Shri Joshi and our stand has been vindicated. ?We always treated Shri Sanjay Joshi as an integral part of Pracharak system of RSS and had never asked him to quit this post,?? Shri Bhagwat pointed out. Now the innocence of Shri Joshi has been proved therefore he has automatically become an inseparable part of Pracharak system of RSS.
(The writer can be contacted at [email protected])
