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Shinde asks states not to wrongfully detain Muslim youth, BJP slams directive

shindeUnion Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde on Monday directed all states to ensure that no innocent Muslim youth is wrongfully detained in the name of terror.

Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde on Monday directed all states to ensure that no innocent Muslim youth is wrongfully detained in the name of terror.

Shinde’s directive in a letter to the Chief Ministers was condemned by the Opposition as “votebank politics” with BJP alleging it was done keeping the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in mind.

BJP demanded that Shinde be sacked for attempting to divide the country on communal lines and the directive be withdrawn immediately.

In the letter, Shinde said Central government has been receiving various representations on alleged harassment of innocent Muslim youth by law enforcement agencies.

“Some of the minority youth have started feeling that they are deliberately targeted and deprived their basis rights,” he wrote.

Shinde emphasised that the government is committed to its core principle of combating terrorism in every form and manifestation.

“Government has to ensure that no innocent person is subjected to undue harassment,” he told the Chief Ministers.

Shinde asked the state governments to constitute special courts in consultation with the high court concerned for trial of terror-related cases, appoint special public prosecutors for trial of these cases and give priority to them over other pending cases.

The Home Minister said law enforcement agencies should be satisfied with regard to communal and social harmony while ensuring zero tolerance for terrorism.

“Strict and prompt action against erring police officers where there is malafide arrests of any member of minority community, wrongfully arrested, person should not only be released immediately but they should be suitably compensated and rehabilitated to join the mainstream,” he said.

BJP said that if Shinde had issued the letter without associating the religion of the person it would not have been an issue.

“Had he used the word Indian instead of any religion then it would have been better. Shinde should be sacked with immediate effect for dividing the country on communal lines,” BJP General Secretary Rajiv Pratap Rudy told reporters.

Senior BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu alleged that Shinde has written this letter for votebank politics and keeping the forthcoming elections in mind. He said Shinde’s move is “unconstitutional and questionable” and demanded that the directive should be taken back immediately.

CPI’s D Raja accused Congress of seeking political advantage by trying to woo Muslim voters ahead of the Lok Sabha polls and said the law is equal to everybody and should be applied equally to all citizens.

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