[GOTFIVEONIT]

Indian Muslims to hold rally seeking justice

Wednesday, 24 October 2007

Bombay, India October 24: Over 300 Imams and Muslim leaders from across India met here in Bombay Sunday to generate support for the Justice Rally to be held on Thursday, at Azad Maidan in Bombay. The rally is being held to demand the immediate implementation of the report of Srikrishna Commission, which probed Bombay's anti-Muslim riots in which thousands of Muslims killed following the demolition of Babri Mosque.

Around 5,000 people attended the meeting, which was addressed by a number of imams, who urged Muslims to extend support by closing down their commercial establishments on the day of the rally. The rally has been organized by the Agitation for Justice (AFJ), an umbrella organization of more than 40 Muslim organizations.

Maulana Athar Syed Ali, president of the All India Ulema Association, said that the imams and Muslim leaders have appealed to Muslims to close down their shops and establishments, and participate in the rally, which is expected to be attended by more than 200,000 Muslims. “Thousands of Muslims have been victims of the Bombay communal riots in 1992-93 and even after 14 years they are still waiting for justice,” he said. At the meeting, the imams expressed their disappointment with the Congress party-led Democratic Front government in Maharashtra and also against the state Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, according to Arab News.

Maulana Muhammad Daryabadi, general secretary of the Ulema Council, was critical of Deshmukh. “The chief minister is more interested in other affairs than in honoring the promises and commitments made to the Muslims,” said Maulana Daryabadi.
Abu Asim Azmi, Qaumi Majlis-e-Shura president, state Samajwadi Party unit president, said that Muslims across the country had been waiting for justice. “The Babri Mosque demolition led to the deaths of 2,500 Muslims, and as of today there is no justice. Attacks on temples, are taken seriously and the accused are arrested immediately,” he said, adding that if the state government thwarted the rally, Muslims would court arrest in millions throughout the country.

Maulana Athar Ali, another prominent religious leader, said that even if the government set up the special courts, he did not think that justice would be delivered in the 2,000 cases mentioned by the Srikrishna Commission. The Maulana asked whether the government will ever book the 31 police officers and political leaders found guilty in the Srikrishna panel report.

-Agencies



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