By IANS,
New Delhi : Describing the Jamia Nagar shootout as a “fake encounter”, the Samajwadi Party and the Trinamool Congress Friday evening demanded a judicial probe into the Sep 19 firefight in which two suspected terrorists were gunned down.
Addressing a public gathering in a narrow lane in Jamia Nagar in south Delhi, Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee demanded that a judicial enquiry be ordered within 72 hours. Samajwadi Party general secretary Amar Singh reiterated the demand.
Both leaders said that Muslims should not be targetted in the name of countering terrorism and termed the Jamia Nagar shootout as stage managed.
Police had a tough time controlling the crowds in the narrow lanes of Jamia Nagar as hundreds turned up for the public meeting.
Amar Singh, who said he had come directly from Azamgarh where he addressed a rally, also took a dig at Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati.
He alleged that on Thursday a Special Task Force of the Uttar Pradesh Police had tried to forcibly take a youth in Okhla in the capital for questioning. When the youth protested loudly, a crowd gathered and took the men to the Jamia Nagar police station, where it was learnt that they belonged to the Uttar Pradesh Police.
Speaking at the Azamgarh rally, Singh said: “India hates (US president George) Bush and we have signed the (India-US) nuclear deal only after discussing it with the Deoband and Bareli ulemas (clerics).”
“We have supported the Congress, but not committed our conscience to the party,” Singh added.
Samajwadi Party leaders Abu Asim Azmi and Shafiqur Rehman Barq were also present at the Azamgarh rally.