No Muslim leader or group has yet come up to support him
By TCN Staff Reporter,
New Delhi: Mohammad Aamir Khan, the 30-year-old youth who was acquitted earlier this year after spending 14 years in jail in false terror cases, was on Thursday honoured with award and cash by People’s Vigilance Committee on Human Rights (PVCHR) here at a national program.
The Varanasi-based PVCHR honoured Khan with the Jan Mitra Award on the first day of 2-day National Consultation on ‘Testimonial campaign contributes to eliminate impunity for perpetrators of torture in India’ at India Habitat Centre. Khan was released in January 2012 after 14 years of incarceration. He was named as main accused in 20 low-intensity bomb blasts which took place between December 1996 and October 1997 in Delhi, Rohtak, Sonepat and Ghaziabad.
Mohammad Amir Khan (right) being awarded by Nageshwar Patnaik, vice president, PVCHR
This is the second time since his release that a civil group has come up to help Khan. Couple of months back he was given a job by ANHAD and now PVCHR of Dr Lenin Raghuvanshi has honoured him with award which carried a cash prize of Rs 60,000.
During 14 years of incarceration, Khan lost his father to the shocker of his arrest as a terrorist and mother became almost blind while weeping day and night for his son. His relatives also deserted him believing what told by police and media. His acquittal was a strong slap on both police and media and a strong evidence against the malicious campaign against the community. Yet, beyond paying lip service, no Muslim leader or community organisation came up to stand by him, leave alone supporting him financially.
The national consultation on torture began at 10.30 a.m. on 12th July. Justice K.G. Balakrishnan, Chairperson, National Human Rights Commission was the Chief Guest. Mr. Pavel Svitil, Minister-Chargé d’affaires, Delegation of the European Union to India graced the occasion as guest of honour. The first session was to be chaired by Mr. Gautam Navlakha, Consultant Editor-Economic and Political Weekly (EPW) and the speakers were Mr. Sankar Sen, Ex- Director General, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Dr D. Roy Laifungbam, Chairperson, Human to Humane Transcultural Centre for Torture Victims (H2H) and Mr. Mathews Philip, Executive Director, SICHREM.
Human rights defenders from Manipur, Assam, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Jammu & Kashmir, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh and New Delhi are attending the program.
TCN series on Aamir Khan:
War on terror: If you can’t find the terrorist, make one : Part 1
Amir Khan: 14 years in jail, acquitted but still scared of police witch-hunt: Part 2
Media celebrates arrest of ‘terrorists’, but ignores their acquittals: Part 3