Council of Indian Muslims (UK)
British Indian Muslims Welcome Vajpayee’s Pledge with caution
London, 7 November, 2003: Council of Indian Muslims – UK (CIM) has welcomed with caution Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s pledge to punish the perpetrators of Gujarat Genocide.
In a statement issued today CIM’s chairman Mohamed Munaf Zeena said, "Although in the light of the continuous and ongoing harassment and detention of Muslims under POTA in Gujarat and elsewhere in the country we find it hard to believe that the perpetrators of Gujarat genocide will ever be punished, we welcome Mr Vajpayee’s pledge to give justice to the victims."
Reacting to Mr Vajpayee’s comments Mr Zeena said, "Indeed Indian public, media and judiciary are closely following. It is they who have kept the victims of Gujarat going and fighting for justice. The fact that the main organiser of these crimes, Narendra Modi, continues to be at the helm of affairs in Gujarat and the fact that Muslims continue to be put behind bars under POTA need no proof of what the Hindutva forces would have done if they were not being watched by the public, media and judiciary.
"It is really bizarre that when the Indian Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister are on a foreign land or are talking to the foreign media, they use strongest possible language to condemn Gujarat riots but have great problem in repeating same words on the floor of Parliament or taking practical measures to restore the confidence of the victims."
Mr Zeena demanded that, "If Mr Vajpayee is really serious about justice and if he wants to show to the world that his condemnation of the sickening crimes committed in Gujarat are not the result of the pressure exerted by public, media and judiciary let him abrogate the notorious law like POTA and release those who have been detained for no crime other than that they are Muslims. "
COUNCIL OF INDIAN MUSLIMS (UK)
66c Cazenove Road, Stoke Newington, London N16 6AA Tel: 020 8806 1147 Fax: 020 8806 6859,
www.coim.org.uk , info@coim.org.uk
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