Mohammad Salim Engineer, National Secretary Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, while addressing a joint press meet at Indiana Classic Hotel in Jaipur on 26 March, said it has to be decided and made clear that those who have been arrested recently or those who have made conspiracy to facilitate their arrest are terrorists because the latter have tried to terrorise the whole community. The JIH leader further said that by doing so the political leaders and the police are trying to divide the society. He also criticised some sections in the media for acting like judiciary in declaring them as terrorists even before the probe began.
Very recently in the name of terror, some Muslim youth were picked up by the police and arrested from Rajasthan and other places. Salim Engineer strongly said that laws were violated during their arrest because neither warrants were shown during their arrest nor neighbours were taken into confidence at the time they were arrested.
Prem Krishna Sharma, vice president, PUCL told reporters that the recovery of a large quantity of ammunition has been claimed by the police but no legal procedure was followed. The police have also not made clear that the recovery was made in whose presence and no signature was taken by anyone as witness. “We all know how such claims are made at the police station,” he emphasised.
Sawai Singh, Convenor, Sadbhaw Manch Rajasthan, during the joint press meet, stressed that if the police have any doubt they can question but by remaining within the guidelines of the law and rights of the individual. Singh praised the role of Rajasthan media and said that most of them projected the real story. “But the way Merajuddin was arrested and declared terrorist and then was released by the Delhi police was indeed painful as it brought bad name to his family; it must stop,” he emphasised.
Social activist Nisha Siddhu said that this is election time and political leaders are trying to provoke the sentiments of the Hindu community in order to get political benefit by creating enmity within communities.
Qari Moinuddin, Convenor Rajasthan Muslim Forum, said that the arrest of innocent Muslims has harmed the image of the police force and atmosphere of fear has been created within the Muslim communities. People are worried about the future of their children and they are afraid that their children might be picked up.
On this occasion, Taslimuddin, father of Waquar Azhar, said that his son is innocent and has been framed by the police. Vidyanand Sharma and his wife Sumitra Devi, who had come from Delhi, also said, “Waquar is a good child and he is dearer to me than even our children; he also loves us.” Niyazuddin, father of Merajuddin who was released by the Delhi police, asked how the image that has been created after the arrest of his son could be wiped and how he would meet his friends and go to school as his image has been tarnished in the society. Jawed, who is uncle of Maroof, said that Maroof is innocent and he has been deliberately framed because of his religious nature.
President of Irada Society, Dr Hasan, demanded immediate release of all innocent Muslims arrested from anywhere and strongly said that nobody should be detained only on the basis of suspicion. Hasan also asked the media fraternity to report with professional responsibility so that the life and the image of youth can be saved from getting tarnished and no one should be levelled as terrorist unless proved.
During the press meet it was also decided that if the arrested youth are not released immediately then a protest march will be held in the city soon. On this occasion, Sri TC Rahul, vice president of Bharatiya Bodh Mahasabha; Habib Garnet, Imamuddin Thekedar and Pekar Farooque were also present.