Issues

It is unfortunate that neither the police nor the politicians have taken the Muslim community into confidence.


* “The seizure of explosives near Nashik proves the high level of alertness of Maharashtra police”, said deputy chief minister, R. R Patil, asserting that terrorism would not be allowed to take root in the state. “Our police force is doing a commendable job. They have succeeded in thwarting efforts of terrorist masterminds to smuggle in illegal arms and ammunition four times in the past one year,” he added.


* Malegaon’s Assistant Superintendent of Police Anil Kumbhare said, “The Students Islamic Movement of India is quite active in Malegaon with the poor Muslim youth acting as cannon fodder.” According to him, two of the several people arrested for the 2002 serial blasts in Mulund and Ghatkopar were from Malegaon. Riaz, Mushtaq Ahmad and Javid Ahmad who were among the six people arrested from Malegaon with a huge cache of arms and explosives by the ATS were known to be associated with SIMI.


The above statements are about the latest episode of seizure of arms and explosive, followed by arrest of the Muslim youth. Neither the police nor politicians have taken the community into confidence. All the three statements neglect the community.


The total number of arrested suspects has reached to 12, in connection with the arms seizure from suspected Lashker-e-Taiba militants in Aurangabad, even as another consignment of explosives was recovered from Manmad in the same district. Those arrested so far are Mohammed Amir, Syed Zuber, Mohammed Jamil Ahmed, Abdul Azim, Mushtaq Ahmed, Mohammed Ishaq, Javed Ahmed, Afzal Khan, Riyaz Ahmed, Abdullah Gani and Dr Mohammed Sharif.


Nobody believes that everyone associated with SIMI is a terrorist. Many amongst the Muslims believe that the police, many a time plant the arms and explosives and then innocent Muslim youths are arrested. The community as a whole is totally against terrorism and militancy.


Police need to form Mohallah Committees in various places where the police suspect militancy is growing. Mohallah Committees were formed after the 1992 riots in Mumbai. In those days, the Muslim community was totally alienated and had no trust in the police force. They were not even willing to talk. Slowly such communities gained momentum


The Muslim community must take some pro-active steps to fight vested interests who misguide our innocent youth to achieve their heinous objectives. Our youth cannot be their cannon fodder. The community must condemn any form of violence publicly. Parents must educate their children about the basic Islamic principles so that vested interests do not misguide them in the name of Islam.