Stop illegal arrests of Muslim youth in India: JIH

Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH) has launched a nationwide campaign on Saturday to protest illegal arrests of Muslim youths and violation of their basic rights.
“Even after 64 years of independence the situation of rule of law in India is not satisfactory. Weaker sections, especially Muslims, are continuously being harassed by different government agencies,” said JIH president Syed Jalaluddin Umari.
Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, the Jamaat chief said 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.” Arab News received a copy of Umari’s statement at the press conference.
“On the morning of May 24 at Aligarh Railway station, two Kashmiri students Maryland 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 a government agency in the presence of thousands of eye witnesses from a general compartment of Kaifiyat Express,” the Jamaat leader said.
“Such incidents are a source of mental torture for entire Muslim community and every peace-loving citizen,” he added.
Umari said had it been a legal arrest the students should have been presented before the court within 24 hours. “It is not yet known under whose order and which law, which ATS or special cell or agency conducted the arrest. No body or agency is ready to own this illegal act,” he pointed out.
After widespread protests, and pressure from the media the two students were taken to Sopore, and allowed to meet their relatives. If there had been no public pressures these youths could have been killed in some false encounters.”
The Jamaat leader condemned the communal riots in Kosi Kalan town of Mathura and urged the government to take appropriate action for the protection of Muslim minority. Mohammed Ahmed, all-India secretary of Jamaat said at least three Muslims including a woman have been killed in the incident. The dispute began on a minor matter that suddenly took the shape of a dangerous riot.
A big mob of Hindus started attacking on mosques, Muslim houses and shops and burning them. The rioters were armed with homemade bombs, sharp weapons and wooden staffs.
“Muslims were being attacked and their homes were burning while local administrators were just watching it about 6 to 7 hours,” he pointed out.
JIH urged the government to pay Rs. 2 million each to families of the dead and Rs 500,000 each to the injured. Appropriate compensation should be given to those persons whose shops or houses were destroyed during the riot.
It also demanded deterrent punishment to perpetrators of the riot and punitive action against local administrators who failed to take timely action to contain the riot. “Protection should be given to the life and property of Muslims.”
Umari urged the government to take steps for Muslims to benefit from its special minority welfare program.
“The government of India, in the light of Sachar Committee Report and under the Prime Minister’s 15 Point Programme, made a special scheme for 90 selected districts for welfare and economic and educational progress of minorities.
In this respect Harsh Mander, a prominent member of National Advisory Council (NAC) has submitted a report, which states that the Muslim community is not getting the benefit of this scheme.
“Therefore it has been recommended that this scheme should be made Muslim specific so that it may benefit the Muslim community. During the last 3 years for the welfare of minorities Rs. 37.8 billion had been sanctioned out of which Rs. 8.4 billion, about 25 percent, has been returned as unutilized,” he pointed out.
The Jamaat demanded that this scheme should be made Muslim specific so that it may address the problem of Muslim backwardness and the Ministry of Minority Affairs must spend the total amount of budget. The Jamaat leader expressed serious concern about ever-increasing and back-breaking inflation, and urged the government to take immediate measures to solve the problem. “In this situation a 10 percent increase in the price of petrol will further fuel inflation. The price of cooking gas also has been steeply enhanced,” he said, and urged the government to lift the increase petrol price.