The United Muslim Forum (UMF) on Wednesday accused investigating agencies of promoting the ‘Hindutva agenda’ by holding innocent Muslim youth in jails without any evidence.
More than 10,000 youth were languishing in different jails in the country, some for close to eight years, without any charge-sheet filed against them. “It’s time the police and its various agencies were purged of the Hindutva elements,” said Abdul Rahim Quraishi, president, UMF.
Mr. Quraishi was speaking to presspersons after a meeting of the UMF, an umbrella organisation, comprising non-political Muslim religious, social and intellectual organisations.
Act against errant cops
Mr. Quraishi demanded the immediate release of innocent youth against whom the police failed to provide evidence. In cases like Mecca Masjid, Ajmer Shareef and Samjhauta Express blasts, disciplinary action should be taken against police for falsely implicated Muslim youth. If the erring police personnel were not prosecuted, it would only amount to encouraging the Hindutva elements in the force, Mr. Quraishi said.
Blatant injustice
He regretted that the DRDO scientist in Bangalore who was given a clean chit by courts was dropped from service while Col. Purohit jailed in the Malegaon blast case was getting his salary.
“What kind of justice is this?” the UMF leader asked. He wondered why the RSS leader, Indrish Kumar, whose name figured in the confessional statements of the accused was not subjected to investigation.
Trouble for secular parties
Stating that the targeting of Muslim youth was maligning the government’s image, Mr. Quraishi said Muslims hereafter would think twice before exercising their franchise. They would certainly not vote parties which swear by secularism and promote Hindutva agenda.
The UMF will hold a meeting to highlight the harassment of Muslim youth in the recent bomb blast in the city on Saturday evening at Urdu Ghar in Moghalpura, he said.
