By TCN News,
New Delhi: As skeletons of terrorists are tumbling out of Hindutva cupboard in the course of probes into terror bombings in the country, Muslim organizations are demanding release of innocent Muslim youths who were arrested in those cases and are still languishing in jails.
Two days after Jamaat-e-Islami Hind demanded release of all innocent Muslims who were picked in the terror cases in which now Hindutva terrorists have been found involved, All India Muslim Majlise Mushawarat passed a resolution on the same demand today at its central advisory council (Markazi Majlis-e-Mushawarat).
The AIMMM demands “that all Muslim youth who were falsely detained or arrested on suspicion should be released forthwith and those have been subsequently acquitted by the courts should be fully compensated for loss of time, income & opportunities.”
The umbrella group of Muslim organizations also reiterated its demand for the appointment of a National Commission to probe the tentacles of Hindutva Terrorism, which have penetrated the security forces, including the state police. AIMMM also expressed serious concern at lethargic attitude of the government in prosecution of Hindutva terrorists.
The AIMMM “registers its shock and surprise at the lethargy and indifference shown by the Government to prosecute Hindutva terrorists although the investigative authorities have uncovered an enormous & massive evidence against them and the organizations under whose banner they are working. In Muslim mind such lethargy confirms the discriminatory attitude shown by the state towards Muslim organizations and Muslim suspects, on the one hand, and their Hindu counterparts, on the other.”
The group demanded that the investigations “should be expedited and charge-sheets filed for prosecution in Special Court established for the purpose.”
On the new ban on SIMI, the central advisory council of AIMMM said: “The MMM also notes that the Tribunal has confirmed the 5th consecutive ban on SIMI, though its appeals to the Supreme Court in earlier cases are still pending. The MMM requests the Supreme Court that the pending cases be decided urgently.”
The AIMMM also passed on various other issues confronting the Muslim community including Wakf Bill, Communal Violence Bill, AMU and violence in Kashmir besides RTE, Bhopal gas victims and Commonwealth Games.
On Wakf Bill, the AIMMM said the Bill was passed hastily in the Lok Sabha in the budget session at its fag end without any discussion leading to protest by several Muslim organizations; some of them have submitted detailed memoranda to the government seeking amendments to the Bill particularly the All India Muslim Personal Law Board. It, however, made clear that “AIMMM does not fully endorse the objections because some of them are based on misunderstanding and lack of communication. However, when it comes before the Rajya Sabha, the Government should allow a comprehensive discussion to deal with the objections raised and, if necessary, agree to amend the Wakf Bill.”
The group welcomed the intervention by the National Advisory Council, chaired by Sonia Gandhi, to redraft the Communal Violence Bill. AIMMM had repeatedly expressed its dissatisfaction with the Communal Violence Bill as circulated by the Government. The AIMMM has on various occasions submitted its suggestions for necessary improvement in the Bill but the amendments circulated by the government do not meet the basic demands of the community.
On Muslim apprehensions on the impact of RTE Act on madrasas and & Muslim schools, AIMMM said it feels that many government schools lack the requisite infrastructure and, therefore, it would be unjust and unfair to insist that minority schools established by a relatively poor community like the Muslims attract penalties for not meeting the prescribed standard. “The MMM requests that like the Sainik schools, they should be exempted from the operation of the RTI Act,” it demanded.
It further said: “Madarasas, apart from their religious courses are teaching secular subjects so that in due course the students are fit to be accepted by secular schools particularly at the level of class – VI.”
“The MMM would like to add that net effect of the RTE should not be to close down minority institutions, which would imply reduction in access of the Muslim community to education, the MMM requests the government to assure the Muslim community that the government is seized of the problem and is taking necessary steps to meet their apprehensions.
The group demanded that the Right to Education Act be amended to clarify that these institutions are treated on par with government schools, at the appropriate level, that their students are recognised as attending schools and that any shortfall in infrastructure does not attract penalties under the Act.
The AIMMM meeting held on August 10 was presided over by president Syed Shahabuddin and attended by its members including Maulana Mohd. Jafar, Prof. Humayun Murad, Janab Nusrat Ali, Mr. Mujtaba Farooq, Prof. S.M. Yahya, Mr. Abdul Khaliq, Mr. Navaid Hamid, Dr. Ubaid Iqbal Asim, Mr. A.R. Shervani, Mrs. Nusrat Shervani and Dr. N. Rasul Siddiqui.