New Delhi, January 29: UPA government has totally failed in fulfilling minorities’ expectations. When the UPA government was formed in the centre Muslims had expected that justice would be done to them and they would get their rights. The basis for this expectation was that the UPA’s chairperson Mrs Sonia Gandhi belongs to minority community. She is a Christian. Similarly Prime Minister Manmohan Singh too belongs to Sikh community which is also in minority. Looking at the two minority leaders at the national level the largest minority Muslims hoped that justice would be done to them. However their expectations were tarnished and it became difficult for the Muslims to get justice. These views were expressed by Mr. Zahid Ali Khan Editor Siasat daily while delivering his presidential address on the occasion of a national seminar conducted by ANHAD a human rights association and other organizations.
Mr. Zahid Ali Khan further stated “While the UPA came to power at the centre Congress also got power in Andhra Pradesh and the reign of power came in the hands of a minority community leader Dr. Rajshekhar Reddy but unfortunately minorities were denied justice in Andhra Pradesh too.
During Congress rule Andhra Pradesh police held the same attitude towards Muslim youth as the Gujarat police did. In targeting the innocent Muslim youth Andhra Pradesh police in no way lagged behind the Gujarat police. As every blast taken place and any terrorist activity carried out in the country was tried to link with Muslims likewise the historical Makkah Masjid blast was also linked with Muslim youth. Within few minutes of the blast the police officials and home minister announced that Muslim terrorists were responsible for the blast. Innocent Muslim youth were arrested in this connection, they were tortured inhumanly and they were booked under serious cases. Later these youth were released by the court as the police failed to provide any proof against them and now Hindu terrorists’ role has been exposed in Makkah masjid blast and other blasts occurred in various parts of the country. The accused have given confession statement in this connection.
Editor Siasat stressed the need to change the conduct of police and said there is need to create sense of accountability among police so that the spate of targeting innocent Muslim youth and implicating them in false cases could be brought to a halt.
Mr. Zahid Ali Khan asserted ‘India is a bouquet of followers all religions and if any of the flowers of the bouquet withers away then the whole bouquet could not be left unaffected.
He proposed to form a committee comprising of atleast 1000 influential and prominent personalities hailing from big cities across the country to strive against police harassment against innocent Muslim youth and to prevent them from being implicated in false cases.
Mr. Zahid Ali Khan opined that there is a majority of secular people in India and a handful of communal elements however these secular forces hesitate to come forward for fear of these communal elements’ mischief. Unless the fear is not eliminated it would be difficult to face the situations and to combat them.
The seminar was also addressed by Anhad association chief Mrs Shabnam Hashmi and the representatives of other organizations.
All the speakers paid tribute to the efforts of Siasat daily for making representation for innocent Muslim youth and preventing them from atrocities. Mrs Shabnam Hashmi asserted that Siasat daily and its responsible persons are the first in the country who helped oppressed and innocent youth and extended all possible assistance. She said Siasat daily also formed a public tribunal in Hyderabad against the arrest of innocent youth.
Ather Moin/ S M Bilal