By Liyaqat Ali,
Jalna (Maharashtra): The families and relatives of the 60 arrested Muslim youths — who were arrested while protesting against an alleged act of blasphemy on social networking site Facebook last week — thronged the Jalna Court on 29th Nov. with hope for release of their kins. Few of them returned with their loved ones while others left with tears in their eyes as only 22 got bail while 36 were sent to 14 days magistrate remand.
For help, their eyes were looking for Muslim political leaders who claim to be well-wishers of the community. The relatives of some arrested youths tried to contact these so-called Muslims leaders but no one had time to come to the court because 29th Nov. was the last day for withdrawal of names from local body election. These leaders were busy in their own political activities at the office of Municipal Corporation.
A total of 60 Muslim youths were arrested by the Police on Nov. 22. Some of them got bail earlier while remaining ones were produced before the court on 29th Nov. Of them, 22 got bail while 36 were sent to jail. The arrested people included 4 juvenile students who were kept in remand home for kids.
The arrested youths were booked under sections 307, 397, 395 and also 143, 147, 148 and 149 of Indian Panel Code. Adv. Syed Tarique Majeed, Adv. Amjad Ali, Adv. Ashfaq Paitha, Adv. Syed Shariq and Adv. Arshad Baghban are defending the arrested youths while Adv. Kadam and Adv. Dewre are representing the government in the case.
After some blasphemous pictures were posted on Facebook on 21st November, the Muslim youths came out on the road demanding ban on the site. They asked the shopkeepers to shutter down in protest of that. They also burnt a state transport bus and allegedly broke mirrors of some shops. Later police arrested 60 Muslim youths.
(The writer is journalist with Asia Express Urdu daily in Aurangabad)