By TCN News,
New Delhi: Jamaat-e-Islami Hind on Saturday strongly condemned the communal violence in Kosi Kalan town of Mathura district of Uttar Pradesh, and demanded Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav to immediately take appropriate actions for protection of members of the Muslim minority.
The communal violence erupted on petty issue around Juma Prayer on Friday has reportedly claimed three lives including a woman (who are said to be from the minority community) besides loot and destruction of dozens of homes and shops of theirs.
Addressing the media today at the monthly press briefing, Mr. Mohammed Ahmed, all India secretary of Jamaat, “the dispute began on a minor matter that suddenly took the shape of dangerous riot nobody expected it. According to reports, Muslims arrange Sabeel (free cold drinks arrangements) in front of Mosque before every Friday prayer. Before the prayer this Friday, a person washed his hands with the cold drinks, this sparked a minor dispute. Later immediately some sensible men resolved it. But when Muslims came out of Mosque after offering prayer they faced different situation. A big mob of Hindus has started attacking on the Mosques, houses and shops of Muslims. The rioters were armed with homemade bombs, sharp weapons and wooden staffs. Local administration was playing the role of silent spectator.”
L-R:Mohammed Ahmed, Syed Jalaluddin Umari, Ejaz Ahmed Aslam addressing press at Jamaat headquarters in Delhi on 2nd June 2012
The rampage continued for seven hours until the higher authorities reached the spot and controlled the situation. “It could have been averted in initial level if timely action was by the local police,” he said.
The Jamaat has put five demands before the state government of Uttar Pradesh:
1) Give Rs. 20 lakhs per deceased and 5 lakhs to each injured.
2) Give appropriate compensation to those persons whose shop or house was damaged.
3) Give exemplary punishment to those who took part in the riots.
4) Take necessary action against those persons of local administration who did not take timely action.
5) Provide protection to the life and property of the Muslims.
Illegal detention of Muslim youths
Earlier addressing the pressmen, chief of Jamaat, Maulana Syed Jalaluddin Umri expressed concern over the continued picking of Muslim youths, in illegal way, in the name of terror probes.
Maulana Umari said, “even after 64 years of independence the situation of rule of law in the country is not satisfactory. Weaker sections especially the Muslims are continuously being harassed by different government agencies. They are trying to tarnish the image of Muslims as a community. The educated Muslim youths are being illegally kidnapped or arrested, tortured to accept the crimes they never committed and dozens and false cases are being framed against them.”
He quoted the example of the latest episode of Engineer Fasih Mahmood who was abducted or arrested on 13th May by representatives of some unknown Indian intelligence agency with the help of Saudi Arabian authorities.
Maulana Umari said, “this episode is under discussion in the media and being reviewed by the Supreme Court. For about 20 days neither the Home Ministry nor the External Affairs Ministry explained on whose order the Engineer was arrested and for what allegation or what crime. Only on 31st May the Home Minister Mr. P. Chidambaram declared that no Indian intelligence agency has detained Mr. Fasih.”
He asked: “Was it not the responsibility of our Home Minister to let the world know who detained Fasih? And on whose request the Interpol has issued a red corner notice to arrest him? During this period who kept him in its custody? “
He said, “such incidents are a source of mental torture for entire Muslim community and every peace loving citizen.”
Citing another example of illegal arresting of Muslim youth, the President of Jamaat said, “on the morning of 24th May at Aligarh Railway station, two Kashmiri students Md. Waseem Bhat and Sajjad Ahmed Bhat who were students of the renowned and prestigious institute of higher Islamic learning Jamiatul Falah, Bilariaganj, Azamgarh were abducted by some government agency in the presence of thousands of eye witnesses from a general compartment of Kaifiyat Express.”
Had it been a legal arrest the students should have been presented before a court of law, within 24 hours, he said adding “it is yet not known under whose order and which law which ATS or special cell or agency conducted the arrest, which was nothing other than illegal abduction. No body or agency is ready to own this illegal act.”
After widespread protests, demonstrations and pressure from Media the two students were taken to Jammu on 30th May by the agency which had abducted them on 24th May from Aligarh station. The Sopore Police was asked to bring their fathers to Jammu. They reached Jammu on late Wednesday evening and in the wee hours on Thursday the boys were handed over to guardians in the presence of Sopore Police who took them to Sopore the same day. Next day they released one but leveled some charges on the other and detained him. It is not clear if Mohammad Waseem Bhat was really wanted by local police in past some violent cases or he has been implicated on the pressure.
Maulana Umri said: If there had been no public pressures these youths could have been killed in some false encounter.”
It is indeed concerning for civil society why the agencies are not following law in terror probes. If someone is suspect and wanted for interrogation, why don’t the agencies detain him through legal process, inform their parents within 24 hours and produce him in court? What is creating fear and havoc with a particular community is that youths are picked from here and there, put in illegal detention for several days and presented in court. This is damaging the image of our terror probe agencies and making their intentions doubtful.