Godhra: Jamiat meet offers help to convicts

New Delh : Upset over the verdict in the 2002 Godhra train burning case in which 11 convicts were sentenced to death and another 20 given life term, Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind (JUH) on Monday pledged to help all the 31 convicts appeal in a higher court.

Jamiat, whose office-bearers met here for the three-day managing committee conference, also sought the release of “innocent Muslims held on mere suspicion of involvement in terror activities” and argued for a new, effective law to check communal violence.

Maulana Hakimuddin Qasmi, secretary, JUH, said, “We believe these people (convicts in the Godhra case) are innocents. We will try to lend them all possible help to appeal in the High Court. It’s the first time that a court has given death sentence based on criminal conspiracy charges, while acquitting the alleged main conspirator. Our efforts have borne fruits as several persons have been set free by the court.”

Maulana Mahmoud Madani, general secretary, Jamiat, said there shouldn't be any discrimination in providing compensation to victims of riots. “Ninety per cent of riots in the country occur because of a nexus between the miscreants and the administration,” he said, adding that the proposed anti-riot Bill must have a clause to hold the administration responsible for such incidents. “It’s very unfortunate that when the Bill came in Parliament for discussion, the administration was given additional powers rather being made more accountable.”

“We can’t accept a Bill which doesn’t have a provision for adequate compensation for communal violence victims and which doesn't hold administration responsible for it,” Madani said.

Many speakers demanded implementation of Rangnath Mishra Committee’s recommendations to provide reservation to Muslims in proportion to their population.

Jamiat president Maulana Qari Usman Mansoorpori said the government should immediately release Muslim youths falsely on terror charges and provide compensation to them.

Congratulating the Centre for implementation of Right to Education, Jamiat urged it to address the worries of the madrasas. Jamiat also passed a resolution to restore the primary membership of AIUDF chief Maulana Badruddin Ajmal Qasmi, who was expelled on charges of using the outfit for political gains.

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