Hasan Rizvi, TwoCircles.net,
Lucknow: Khalid Mujahid's death has shocked the country. Social activists, Muslim fraternity and others are demanding government's action on Khalid's death. Though state government has recommended a CBI probe, suspended all nine policemen who were escorting Khalid and a FIR too has been lodged against 42 policemen still there is a persistent demand for making public the Nimesh Commission report.
TCN talked with the Muslim legislators in the state cutting across party line to get their opinion on this sensational topic. Strangely many of them admitted that there should be a thorough probe in Khalid's death incident but none of them has so far came forward to make this demand with the government.
Abrar ahmed, the Samajwadi Party legislator from Isauli in Sultanpur when asked remarked: “Police is responsible for the death of Mujahid and if the jailor is accused he should be punished. Fair investigation
should be done”.
Shakir Ali, who has been minister in previous Mulayam regime and has defeated BJP's state president Surya Pratap Shahi from Patherdewa in Deoria remarked: “It was executed through a well-managed conspiracy; strong actions should be taken against the culprits. The mentality of the administration should be changed or else these things will happen again”.
Ziauddin Rizvi, the SP legislator from Ghazipur opined: “SP government is committed to its promise to free all the innocents and case against Mujahid was withdrawn by government. But the changed circumstances have made it difficult. After the report of CBI inquiry everything will be cleared”.
Haji Irfan Solanki, the young MLA of SP from Aryanagar Kanpur remained cautious. He stated: “It is premature to say anything before the completion of CBI probe but rules should be made to protect further incidents like this”.
Abdul Mashood Khan, the SP legislator from Balrampur district however refused to comment on grounds that CBI will probe the matter.
M. Asif Jafri, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) legislator appeared most vocal. He remarked: “According to the Nimesh committee report Mujahid was not guilty but still he was been imprisoned. Responding to the statement of CM in which said, Mujahid was ill, Jafri asked, “If he was ill he should have been taken to hospital not court?” However, he did not reply when reminded that Khalid was arrested during Mayawati regime.
Congress legislator Nawazish Alam Khan from Bulandshaher, Jamaluddin Siddiqui who is SP legislator from Farrukhabad, Aneesur Rehman of Peace Party representing Bareilly and Shah Alam of BSP from Azamgarh were also contacted but they did not have any comment.
(TCN is doing a special series by trying to contact all Muslim representatives and record their reactions on this important issue. While some have responded, others chose not to, citing several reasons. In coming days, TCN will try to contact other Muslim representatives from the state as well.)
