By TCN Staff Reporter,
New Delhi/Lucknow/Azamgarh: The 4th anniversary of infamous Batla House encounter passed off peacefully both in Delhi – where the encounter took place – and Azamgarh, the home district of the two youths killed in the shootout. Torch light march and fast at Mahatma Gandhi’s Samadhi in Delhi, candle light march and a seminar in Lucknow and presentation to DM and a peaceful rally in Azamgarh were the noted events that marked the encounter anniversary on 19th September.
Delhi
Young gandhians under the banner of Khudai Khidmatgar sat on daylong fast near the Samadhi of prophet of nonviolence Mahatma Gandhi in the national capital. They opposed illegal arrests in the name of terror probes. They demanded justice from the government as its agencies have committed gross injustice. The fast lasted from 9am to 5 pm.
Members of Khudai Khidmatgar observing fast at Gandhi’s samadhi in Delhi on 19th September 2012
As the sun set, came out members of All India Students Association with mashal (torch) in their hands in Jamia Nagar area. The rally started from Khalilullah Masjid (adjacent to the flat where the encounter took place on 19th September 2008) and ended at Okhla Head. The marchers were demanding a judicial enquiry into the Batla House encounter. AISA also condemned the ongoing minority witch hunt all over the country. Jamia Nagar, Darbhanga, Azamgarh, Malegaon are the places which have continuously been tried to be stereotyped as the manufacturing industry of Terrorists, they said and demanded that UPA government at the centre took the responsibility of the ongoing Minority witch hunt and resigned. Local people besides students from Jamia, JNU and Delhi University took part in the rally.
AISA members taking out torch light march in Jamia Nagar on 19th September 2012
Azamgarh
A day before the anniversary, eminent citizens under the banner of Association for Welfare, Medical, Educational and Legal Assistance (AWMELA) Azamgarh, submitted a memorandum to the District Magistrate of Azamgarh demanding a judicial probe into Batla House encounter. The slain two youths Atif and Sajid were from Azamgarh.
Eminent citizens in Azamgarh submitting memo to district DM office on the eve of Batla encounter anniversary on 18th September in Azamgarh
On the anniversary day – 19th September – Rashtriya Ulama Council held a rally in Menta/Ambedkar Park, Azamgarh in protest of Batla House encounter. In view of impending festive season and calls for protests given by various organizations on Batla House encounter anniversary, the district administration had promulgated section 144. Ulama Council reiterated its demand for a judicial probe into the shootout.
Ulema Council holding a rally in Azamgarh on 19th September 2012
Lucknow
On the eve of the 4th anniversary of the Batla House encounter, civil and human rights activists took out a candle march at GPO roundabout near Hazratganj area in Lucknow. The marchers demanded judicial probe into the encounter. Eminent persons who took part in the protest included Siddharta Kalhans, Sandeep Pandey, Rajesh Kumar, Md Shoaib, Tahira Hasan, KK Vats, Randheer Singh Suman, Ajay Singh, Prof. Ramesh Dixit, Renu Mishra, Gufran Siddique, Tarique Shafique, Shahnawaz Alam, Rajeev Yadav.
Candle light march on the eve of Batla encounter anniversary on 18th September in Lucknow
On 19th September, the organizers of the candle march held a daylong seminar at Lucknow press club. Speakers condemned communal mindset of security and probe agencies. They also cornored Samajwadi Party and Congress for not taking strong step against the minority witch hunt. The issue of Fasih Mahmood, an engineer from Darbhanga held in Saudi Arabia in May this year in connection with a terror case and is yet to be deported to India, was also raised at the seminar.
Rehai Manch holding convention against Batla encounter and minority witch hunt in Lucknow on 19th September 2012