Rihai Manch dharna completed 100 days.
By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
Lucknow: “Akhilesh Government does not have the courage to listen to people’s concerns and hence he saw no representative of the government on the dharna site,” said Mohammad Salim, CPIM leader from Kolkata and former MP, while speaking at the 100th day of the Rihai Manch dharna in Lucknow.
Since May 20 Rihai Manch (Forum for the Release of Innocent Muslims imprisoned in the name of Terrorism) is on indefinite dharna demanding arrest of police officers involved in Khalid Mujahid's murder, issuing the RD Nimesh commission report and action report, and the immediate release of innocent Muslim youth imprisoned in the name of terrorism.
CPIM leader Subhasini Ali, who today attended the dharna for the second time, demanded swift actions from the ruling Samajwadi Party government in the case and to prosecute the guilty so that the another ‘Khalid’ does not have to die.” She added that she had personally met Akhilesh Yadav in December and had also written a letter to him on fabricated terror cases, and urged him to see to it that the youths who are languishing in jail for years should at least get bail orders. She said that she was saddened that Akhilesh did not bother to even respond to the letter.
Hundreds of people today participated on the 100th day of the Riha Manch dharna.
Few days ago, leaders of the Welfare Party of India (WPI) had participated in the indefinite dharna and general secretary SQR Ilyas had urged the people to participate in the demonstration on the historic 100th day.
Advocate Mohammad Shoaib, Chairman of Rihai Manch, said on the occasion that the Manch has been organising regular public campaigns to mobilize people against the betrayal of the SP Government, which is not willing to keep even its poll promises.
Earlier, on the occasion of Eid, Rihai Manch had organised a public hearing on the theme “where are the pride sons of the nation” on the 67th Independence Day outside the Uttar Pradesh Assembly, where family members of those Muslim youths who have been behind bar on ‘fabricated’ terror changes, where they pleaded for justice.
Khalid had died under mysterious circumstances on his way back from Faizabad near Ram Sanehi Ghat on May 18. He was declared brought dead by the doctors at district hospital in Barabanki. Later, on the complain of his uncle Zahir Alam Falahi, a case was registered against 42 police officers including former DGP Vikram Singh, ADG Brijlal and others who were on duty during the time of Khalid's arrest.
Khalid along with Tariq Qasmi was arrested by Special Task Force (STF) on 20 December 2007 from Barabanki. Huge explosives were also shown as recovered from his possession. STF claimed that he was involved in the serial blasts which occurred in Gorakhpur, Faizabad and Lucknow. Later, Nimesh Commission was constituted headed by Justice R D Nimesh who in its report raised fingers over STF's claim about the place of arres.
Khalid’s family and civil society groups are demanding CBI probe into Khalid’s custodial death and has compared his case with the fake encounter of Ishrat Jahan by the Gujarat Police. They have also questioned the role of the IB.
Rihai Manch is leading a sustained demonstration against the UP government for last three months now demanding actions on its poll promise of releasing innocent youths languishing in jails in fabricated terror charges. Several rights groups and and politicians, including Prakash Karat, film maker Anand Patwardhan, Anusha Rizvi, senior journalist Anil Chamadia among others have also expressed their solidarity with the Manch demonstration and on different days made token participation.