To commemorate the memory of the horrific Batla House Encounter that took place on September 19, 2008, various civil rights and pressure groups and social organisations held large scale protests in Delhi as well as in Azamgarh. The protest rallies reiterated the fact that there are grave contradictions in the statements of the police officials and the innocents were killed in cold blood.
Maulana Aamir Rashadi, chief of Rashtriya Ulema Council came on train replete with the protesters and staged a massive protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar. Rashadi said the Batla House Encounter was a bid to save the then Union Minister Shivraj Patil. “The CBI should probe the shooting. Why the government is hesitating if the truth is on its side,” Rashadi said.
He further said that the circumstances in which police inspector Mohan Chand Sharma of Delhi Police’s Special Cell was killed in the encounter should also be probed.
Protesters were found wearing the T-shirts saying “We are MUSLIMS We are Terrorists, Please shoot us” and “I am from AZAMGARH, Please Kill me” to vent out their emotions.
Many among the protesters raised questions as to why only 8 statements have been registered in 3 years. The Jamia Nagar Coordination Committee meanwhile wrote a letter to UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi asking her to take personal interest and give the permission for judicial enquiry in this ‘fake’ encounter so that the victims should get justice.