By Mumtaz Alam Falahi, TwoCircles.net,
New Delhi: All Muslim organizations including Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH) and several human rights groups and activists have demanded judicial probe into the September 19 Batla House encounter but the Congress-led UPA government hasn’t moved. This will prove to be suicidal for the Congress, warned Mujtaba Farooq, JIH secretary for political affairs.
“The Batla House encounter has become a national issue and it cannot be ignored by any party,” he told TwoCircles.net in an exclusive interview adding that Muslims themselves are demanding probe and guilty never demands probe. “But if the government is not willing to conduct enquiry, it means it wants to hide something,” Farooque argued.
Since the day of the encounter in which two suspected terrorists were killed, Muslim leaders and organizations as well as human rights activists have demanded judicial probe. Several Muslim leaders including Mujtaba Farooque have met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress President Sonia Gandhi to press the demand but to no avail.
What will you do now?
“If the government does not order enquiry, it will be on people to answer. Elections are coming, people have power of vote. If they can vote in a party, they can vote it out also,” said Farooque giving indication that Muslims may not support the Congress in the coming elections.
But how will you support Third Front led by the Left as the front has already split with the exit of Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party?
He admits that options are not very clear before the Muslims. He also admits that the Enemy No. 1 is BJP. To keep it out will remain the top priority. He, however, says that the emergence of regional parties is indication that people have options. He also says that alliances of secular parties can emerge pre- or post-election.
On the secular credential of Home Minister Shivraj Patil, he said people in street and in Parliament, as well as his cabinet colleagues have demanded his exit. “But to blame him alone for what is going against Muslims will be wrong. He is not all in all in the government. He is just part of the government. If he is inactive and incompetent what are Prime Minister and Sonia Gandhi doing? Has Patil prevented them from acting?” Farooque asks.