Zee Media Bureau/Hemant Abhishek
New Delhi: Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde on Friday reiterated Centre`s stand against illegal detention of youth of minority communities.
Speaking to scribes, Shinde said, “We are again writing to all chief ministers to ensure that anyone belonging to any minority community, if illegally detained, should be released immediately.”
He again clarified that by minorities, he didn`t mean any specific religion, and his statement applied to youths of all minority communities.
On the way forward, he said, “We will appoint committee like the screening/advisory committee for POTA (to enforce it).”
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) reacted strongly to Shinde`s comments and accused him of pursuing a divisive agenda.
“When talking about an accused or a criminal, where does the question of checking one`s religious affiliations arise? It is important to nab a criminal and curb crime, and not to check one`s religious certificates. We strongly oppose his stand,” said BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar.
In the past too, in September last year, the Home Minister had written letters to all Chief Ministers asking them to ensure that no Muslim youth is wrongfully detained or harassed in the name of terror. He had said that the Centre has been receiving various representations on the issue.
Emphasising that the government is committed to its core principle of combating terrorism, Shinde had said authorities should ensure that no innocent person is subjected to undue harassment. "Some of the minority youth have started feeling that they are deliberately targeted and deprived of their basic rights," he wrote.
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.