Muslim organisations condemn arbitrary arrest of Muslim youths in name of ISIS

by Abbas Adil

Prominent Muslim organisations of Indian Muslims including  Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, Jamiat-e-Ulema Hind, Jamiat Ahle Hadees, Muslim Majlis e Mashawerat, All India Milli Council and  Welfare Party of India are deeply concerned at the nationwide arrests of Muslim youths and clerics on suspicion of having links with ISISI and Al-Qaeda just before the Republic Day.

These Muslim organisations consider the arbitrary arrests of Muslim youths in name of ISIS as an organized conspiracy to malign Islam and Muslims, suspect their patriotism, terrorise them and to get political benefits by creating hatred between Hindus and Muslims.

In a press statement  issued jointly by the above organizations they  have reminded that  ‘At a counter-terrorism conference in Jaipur about one year ago (21 March 2015), Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh had categorically said that Indian Muslims are patriotic, ISIS has failed to attract Muslim youths and has little influence on them. Soon after that, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his US visit, had said the same thing. But about one year later, just before this Republic Day, agencies began arresting Muslims across the country on suspicion of having links with ISIS and Al-Qaeda. This gave an impression as if Muslim youths are not only in contact with ISIS but are also actively engaged in preparation for terror attacks in the entire country just before the Republic Day and are busy recruiting and radicalizing youth for joining ISIS ranks.

These organisations believe that these youths will also be acquitted of terror charges in the same manner as those innocent Muslim youths arrested in similar cases in the past. But until they get justice 10-15 years of these innocent youths are lost and they face difficulties in restarting their social life.

These Muslim organisations has also reminded  the country that some of the major terror attacks in the country, in which Muslims were earlier implicated, were later found to be linked with Hindutva terror. In the terror blasts at Mecca Masjid, Malegaon, Ajmer Dargah and Samjhauta Express, the probes of intelligence agencies had exposed the network of Hindutva terror. Muslim organisations have apprehension that the central government is looking for possible ways to release the accused in Hindutva terror incidents by weakening their cases. This apprehension has been created in the wake of the recent admission of NIA in the Supreme Court that the central government and union home ministry are considering lifting MCOCA from the cases of Hindutva terror accused. Arrest of innocent Muslim youths on one hand and steps for release of the accused in big Hindutva terror cases prove that the ruling party is implementing its communal agenda and its slogan of “Sab Ka Saath Sab Ka Vikas” was just a mirage.

On this occasion, Muslim organisations unanimously declare that ISIS is a terrorist organisation which isn’t even remotely connected with Islam and its teachings.

Their demand from Central Government:

  1. The chain of arresting innocent Muslims mere on suspicion should be immediately stopped. Cases should be withdrawn from those against whom no substantial proof was found and they should be immediately released.
  2. Those against whom terror charges could not be proved and have consequently been acquitted by the courts should be awarded ample compensation and stringent action should be taken against the police officers who had implicated them.
  3. Draconian laws (UAPA, MCOCA, etc.) enacted to counter so-called terrorism should be annulled immediately because they run contrary to basic human rights and are used by police and intelligence agencies as a weapon against innocent people. It has already been proved that charges against most of the people prosecuted under these laws were not proved. Its living example is TADA whose rate of conviction was just one percent. In the year 2014, only 18 out of 141 people apprehended under UAPA could be charge-sheeted while 123 people were found innocent – it means charges could be proved only against 12% of the accused. It is most possible that these people will also be acquitted by higher courts.
  4. A new law should be formulated in the country to ensure ample compensation to the persons acquitted of terror charges and to prosecute under terror charges the officers of police and intelligence agencies who falsely implicated them so that the lives of innocent people could be saved.
  5. A core group should be formed comprising human rights organisations working in terror cases, civil society groups and community organisations. Every such case should be referred to the panel. This core group would work as a watchdog. Only this will help establish mutual harmony, contact and cooperation between police and public and will shut the door of misunderstandings.
  6. A high-level probe should be conducted to fully expose the Hindutva terror network uncovered by slain ATS chief Hemant Karkare and also the cases brought to light by admission and revelations of Swami Aseemanand.
  7. Hindutva terror accused should not be released on bail by weakening their cases; rather their cases should be fast-tracked in order to ensure judgment.

Signatories

Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, Jamiat-e-Ulema Hind, Jamiat Ahle Hadees, Muslim Majlis e Mashawerat, All India Milli Council, Welfare Party of India

You may also like