The recent Union Home Ministry advisory asking States not to arrest “innocent” Muslims in terror cases has also asked the State police to issue character certificate to terror accused exonerated by courts.
The Union Home Ministry on its part has finalised the details of financial compensation to be paid to a number of Muslim youth “wrongly” implicated in terror cases across the country over the past 10-12 years who were later acquitted by courts.
The final draft of the proposal to financially compensate such Muslim youths has been forwarded to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) for approval, sources said.
The controversial move to financially compensate Muslim youth comes close on the heels of Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde’s letter to all Chief Ministers asking them to ensure no innocent Muslim youth is wrongfully detained in the name of terror.
Shinde’s letter has triggered outrage with the Opposition accusing the Government of “minority appeasement” in the run up to the Parliamentary polls to be held next year.
In his letter to all Chief Ministers, Shinde said that a number of cases have come to light which show members of Muslim community wrongly picked up by police in terror cases.
“The Central Government has received several representations alleging harassment of innocent Muslim youth by law enforcement agencies. Some of the youth from minority have started feeling that they are deliberately targeted and deprived of their rights.”
In his letter, Shinde also spoke of punishing guilty police officials for targeting and implicating innocent people. “Strict and prompt action against erring police officers should be taken where there is malafide arrests of any member of minority community and wrongfully arrested person should not only be released immediately but they should be suitably compensated and rehabilitated to join the mainstream,” he said in his letter.
He cited the Malegaon mosque bombing of September 2006. Mumbai police had arrested nine Muslim youths in the case but the National Investigation Agency (NIA), which later took over the probe, has charge-sheeted four suspected members of a Right-wing Hindu group. The Muslim suspects are on bail.
Officials said the terrorist tag has made the lives of these youths miserable and the character certificate will help them rehabilitate. These certificates will also help them in protection from police who often come calling on their doorstep after every terror attack.
The proposal to financially compensate Muslims acquitted in terror cases was first mooted by Minority Affairs Minister K Rahman Khan in June during a meeting with Shinde. At the meet, Khan had complained that there was a growing perception among the community that its youths are being victimised.
Khan had also suggested formation of a task force of bureaucrats to review all pending terror cases where Muslim suspects have been in jail custody for years.
Minister of State for Home RPN Singh refused to answer a text message from The Pioneer asking him on the rationale behind issuance of character certificate and a compensation package for Muslim terror accused exonerate by the courts.
The National Commission for Minorities had recently recommended to Shinde to ask the State Governments to issue character certificate and prosecute guilty police officers for implicating Muslims in terror cases.