Mumbai: Noted activist, author and winner of the National Communal Harmony Award, Ram Puniyani Thursday criticised Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) for targeting Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde over his letter to chief ministers of Indian states advising them to make sure no innocent Muslim was harassed by law enforcing agencies.
"The BJP's criticism of this letter shows its communal bias. As it is true that it is due to the prevalent biases that more Muslims youth have been victimized in such a manner", Ram Puniyani, who is the chairman of All India Secular Forum, said in a statement.
In his letter to the chief ministers Sushilkumar Shinde wrote that they have been receiving complaints of harassment of innocent Muslim youth by Law enforcement agencies. He asked the state authorities to ensure that no innocent Muslim youth is arrested or wrongfully detained in the name of terror. The letter also suggests that if such wrongful act has been done it should be duly compensated.
"This phenomenon of arrest of Muslim youth has been observed from last several years after the acts of terror. In most cases, Malegaon, Ajmer, Samjhuta Express and Mecca Masjid blasts many Muslim youth were arrested and as there was no evidence they were released by courts", he said.
"During this process their careers were ruined and their families were socially ostracized. Shinde's letter is belated but welcome step in the direction of justice", he added.
The BJP is targeting Shinde ever since the details of the letter were published by the media. The BJP leaders even demanded from the Prime Minister to withdraw Shinde's letter and sack him from the cabinet.
Meanwhile, Jamia Teachers Solidarity Association (JTSA) has demanded from the government to take immediate action against erring police officers involved in framing the innocent Muslims in false cases.
"The initiation of criminal proceedings against police officers indicted by courts of wrongfully implicating Muslim youth will alone prove the government's seriousness in bringing justice to the victims", Ahmed Sohaib of Jamia Teachers Solidarity Association (JTSA), said.
"The Home Minister has not said anything new. The time has come for the government to act. The government has to show seriousness by prosecuting officers guilty of malicious prosecution. It is not as if police officers have not been indicted by the courts. But till date, no action has been taken against those officers," he added.
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