By Salman Sultan, TwoCircles.net,
Azamgarh: Indicating that it will raise the Batla House encounter issue in high tone during the coming Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh – after forgetting the issue for some months following the Lok Sabha elections in May 2009 – Rashtriya Ulama Council has again put the issue on top of its agenda. The party organized a meeting in Azamgarh yesterday to introduce its charter of 14 demands with Batla issue topping the list.
Ulama Council, which was formed, as an aftermath of seemingly fake Batla House encounter, was earnest in its protest against the atrocities being committed on Muslim community, in particular the persistent arrests/harassments of its youths. Later on with the announcement of Parliamentary elections it suddenly changed tag from a protest group to a political party by prefixing ‘Rahstriya’ to its name.
The usual traits of political outfits in our country began surfacing in Rahstriya Ulama Council and it started believing in propaganda, personality cult and exaggerated promises/claims. This nascent political party that promised to play a nation-building role through Hindu-Muslim Unity (‘Ekta ka Raj chalega, Hindu-Muslim sath chalega’) went to participate in Maharashtra Assembly elections. This hasty and politically immature decision, as many political and social activists say, surprised all and sundry.
Now it seems that slowly this slowly maturing political party has sobered down to raise vital issues troubling common man. Therefore, its charter of demands includes grim power situation and problems faced by small farmers besides probe in Batla House encounter. The well-attended meeting, albeit a festive mood display by participating adolescents, was addressed by office bearers of Ulama Council and student leaders. Prominent among the speakers was Mr. Partmatma Sharan Pandey. Occasional slogan shouting and claims for government formation by Rashtriya Ulama Council with Mr. Rashadi as next CM of Uttar Pradesh was indicative of the proverb, “Old habit die hard”.
RUC has also threatened a strong opposition to Mr. Rahul Gandhi’s impending visit to Azamgarh if it occurs without order of a judicial probe in Batla House encounter and release of all arrested/accused in this connection. RUC condemned the Congress party for its acts of omission and commission vis-à-vis Muslim community after Independence.