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Samajwadi Party organises rally to demand scrapping of Pota
Mumbai, June 13: Samajwadi Party in Maharashtra today announced its decision to stage a dharna in front of Vidhan Bhavan here to demand scrapping of Pota and warned the DF government that party workers would take to streets if the legislation was not withdrawn within a month.
Mumbai, June 13: Samajwadi Party in Maharashtra today announced its decision to stage a dharna in front of Vidhan Bhavan here to demand scrapping of Pota and warned the DF government that party workers would take to streets if the legislation was not withdrawn within a month.
Addressing a huge rally organised by Samajwadi Party, its national general secretary Amar Singh demanded scrapping of Prevention of Terrorism Act as it was a "draconian act and was being misused".
The rally culminated in a public meeting where leaders belonging to Samajwadi Party, Lal Nishan and various trade unions highlighted misuse of Pota and demanded scrapping of the legislation.
Rajya Sabha MP and party's state unit president Abu Asim Azmi alleged in Gujarat Pota was selectively used against 62 Muslims in the Godhra carnage case but those who had targetted minority community members were spared. Under pressure from NHRC, the gujarat government withdrew charges against 62 Muslims held under Pota, he claimed.
The SP leader said in Maharashtra, a Pota detenue, Khwaja Yunus, "disappeared" from police custody when a jeep carrying him to Ahmednagar met with an accident. The police said he ran away but a co-accused during a judicial probe alleged he was "mercilessly beaten" by police. The court has now ordered compensation to the family, Azmi said.
Abu Asim demanded an inquiry into all such cases of misuse of Pota and suspension of the guilty officers or those officers who were reprimanded by the court.
Bureau Report
The rally culminated in a public meeting where leaders belonging to Samajwadi Party, Lal Nishan and various trade unions highlighted misuse of Pota and demanded scrapping of the legislation.
Rajya Sabha MP and party's state unit president Abu Asim Azmi alleged in Gujarat Pota was selectively used against 62 Muslims in the Godhra carnage case but those who had targetted minority community members were spared. Under pressure from NHRC, the gujarat government withdrew charges against 62 Muslims held under Pota, he claimed.
The SP leader said in Maharashtra, a Pota detenue, Khwaja Yunus, "disappeared" from police custody when a jeep carrying him to Ahmednagar met with an accident. The police said he ran away but a co-accused during a judicial probe alleged he was "mercilessly beaten" by police. The court has now ordered compensation to the family, Azmi said.
Abu Asim demanded an inquiry into all such cases of misuse of Pota and suspension of the guilty officers or those officers who were reprimanded by the court.
Bureau Report