Enough is enough, Stop
arresting innocent youths:Students Islamic Organisation of India
Students March to Parliament
On this issue, national wide protests were held across the country including Karnataka, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Bihar and symposium and press conferences were held in Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh.
The protest march called by Students Islamic Orgainsation of India (SIO) was supported by Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, (JIH), Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR), All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat (AIMMM), Welfare Party of India (WPI), and Jamia Students’ Solidarity Forum (JSSF). Demonstrators demanded that all innocent Muslims who have been implicated falsely should be released and an investigation should be carried out against those responsible for the arrests.
SIO president said, "India cannot become super power if 20% of its minority population is behaved in such way and targeting its innocent youths, students, professionals, engineers and journalists. If this injustice will not stop, we will make here Tahrir Square for protesting peacefully against all injustices."
He said the bid to arrest youths under concocted charges in different parts of the country seems to be part of a planned conspiracy to defame Muslims, tarnish their image before the masses.
SIO President took to the stage amid much sloganeering, commented on the tendency of the corporate media to ‘make an issue out of a non-issue.’ He said “We need to remind them of their responsibility. With social media, even the common people have agency over information flow. We must make use of all our resources.”
“Thousands of lives have been ruined because of the targeting of Muslim youths. Youths are kept in illegal custody, tortured, stripped and humiliated. They spend 10 to 15 years in jail after which the court accepts their innocence. By that time, they've lost their youth, education and career. It not only ruins one's life, but also ruins families,” said Mr. Mohammed Ahmad, all India secretary of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind.
Dr. SQR Ilyas of Welfare Party of India, said, “Communal riots cannot be occurred without the patronage of the government. We have to use our vote power against UPA government, which is directly responsible to the present injustice meted out to the public and Muslim youths as well. We demand all secular parties and Muslims MPs to bring no confidence motion against the UPA government.”
“Paranoia about Islamic terror has been created by the State. It enables the State to dodge real issues,” said Dr. Tasleem Rehmani of Muslim Political Council of India.
Akhlak Ahmad, National Co-ordinator of Association for Protection of Civil Rights, emphasised that the issue not just about Muslim youths, but also about basic human rights. He stated that it was a blot on the Indian constitution. Biju Nayak, Delhi Secretary of Lok Raj Sangathan said that Muslims are constantly pushed to prove their national loyalty in this country. He said “This country belongs to all of us and we need to take charge of it. It is not the people that are communal, it is the State itself”.
Mohammed Adeeb, Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha said, “Since partition, Muslims in this country have been made out to be the other. Now that our children are getting educated and making a place, they are being targeted in an attempt to suppress them.” He stated that he, along with CPM and Lok Janshakti, would meet the Prime Minister and put forward the demands that were discussed at the protest. Lok Janshakti Party leader Abdul Khaliq also addressed to the demonstrators.
“State terror, down down” shouted the demonstrators as they waved flags of SIO and displayed placards that demanded the immediate release of innocent Muslim youths.
Senior journalist Syed Ahmad Kazmi who was arrested on the basis of his alleged involvement with the Israeli Embassy car blast case shared his experience of being implicated in a false case and the difficulties of adjusting to a normal life after an imprisonment. “If I faced so much trouble returning to normal life, imagine what a youth experiences after spending 10 to 15 years in jail for no fault of his,” he said.
A memorandum to the Prime Minister was also present in which following demands were put forward:
1. Free and fair investigation and end bias in law enforcement.
2. Stop custodial torture and use of third degree methods by police and intelligence agencies.
3. Compensation and rehabilitation must be given to innocents who have been wrongly booked under terror charges.
4. All terror related cases must be tried on a day-to-day basis so that the innocents get released soon.
5. Strict action must be taken against police personnel and investigation agencies personnel who are responsible for fabrication of evidence against innocents.
6. Repeal all draconian laws including Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), MACOCA, sedition laws and Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA). Any law for curbing terrorism must confirm with International Human Rights Standards.
7. Intelligence Bureau must come under the audit of the Comptroller and Auditor General.
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