SP's Muslim leaders caution party over 'hasty conclusions' on Bhatkal, his aide

Samajwadi Party may have distanced itself from the remarks made by one of its senior leader Kamal Farooqui on the Indian Mujahideen co-founder Yasin Bhatkal, but the party’s Muslim leaders have cautioned against any ‘hasty conclusions’ on arrested militants, who includes Asadullah, a resident of Azamgarh district.

The party’s general secretary Ram Gopal Yadav, however, on Saturday said Bhatkal was a terrorist and termed Farooqui’s remarks as his personal opinion.

Muslim leaders reminded the party leadership of its promise made during last year’s Assembly polls that it would ensure release of Muslim youth, who are innocent but have been in jails in the state on terror charges.

“Let there be a thorough and impartial probe before they are branded terrorists,” a Muslim party leader told Deccan Herald.

The Muslim leaders were apparently wary of a possible backlash over the arrest of Asadullah, who was nabbed with Bhatkal, as he was a resident of Azamgarh district, where the Muslims in the past have strongly protested the arrests of the youths belonging to their community.

Ever since the SP government assumed office, it has been trying to withdraw cases against the terror accused though its attempts were thwarted by the courts.

Various Muslim organisations have come down heavily on the party for not honouring its promise made during the assembly polls to release ‘innocent’ Muslim youths who have been ‘falsely’ implicated in terror cases.