Arbitrary arrests of Muslim youth will weaken the country, warn organisations

New Delhi, Feb 9: Some of the most prominent Muslim social and religious organisations of India expressed their deep concern at the nationwide arrests of Muslim youths and clerics on suspicion of having links with ISIS. The Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH), Jamiat-Ulema-i-Hind, Markaz Jamiat Ahle Hadees, All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat and the All India Milli Council organized a joint press conference today at the Press Club of India to voice their strong displeasure at the policy of the government and the prejudiced role of the security agencies.

Muhammad Salim Engineer, Secretary General of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH) said that: ‘’these arbitrary arrests of Muslim youth in the name of ISIS is an organized conspiracy to malign Islam and Muslims, create suspicion about their patriotism, terrorise them and to get political benefits by creating hatred between Hindus and Muslims.

Although the Home Minister and the Prime Minister refuted the possibility of ISIS making inroads in India last year, the security agencies have recently began arresting Muslims across the country on suspicion of allegedly having links with ISIS and Al-Qaeda.

Salim Engineer demanded that the police officers who detain innocent youth deliberately must be awarded stringent punishment if these youth are acquitted later. The youth must be released within 6 months if the agencies are unable to prove any allegations against them’’.

The Secretary General of JIH voiced his apprehension regarding the central government considering lifting MCOCA from the cases of Hindutva terror accused looking for possible ways to release the accused in Hindutva terror incidents. He accused the government and security agencies of trying to create a climate of fear and anxiety within the Muslim community which will weaken the country.

Muslim Organisations Demands to the 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 Cases should be withdrawn from those against whom no substantial proof was found and they should be immediately released.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.