Shinde to write to CMs again on cases against minority youths

The Centre will ask all state governments to set up review or screening committees to assess role of minority youths languishing in jails on terror charges without trial.

Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde said he will again write to the chief ministers this time asking them to set up screening or advisory committees on the lines of Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) to review cases of minority youths languishing in jails.

"I am again writing to all chief ministers saying we will appoint a screening or advisory committee like in the case of POTA. These will be state-level committees," he said in reply to questions after presenting his report of ministry for December.

Shinde said that he had earlier asked all chief ministers to ensure that no innocent minority youth is wrongfully detained in the name of terror.

"I had written to all chief ministers to be careful while arresting youth of minority community. That I said in my earlier letter and it was not one community but all those who are concerned.

Last September, Shinde had said the Centre had received various representations on alleged harassment of innocent Muslim youth by law enforcement agencies.

"Some of the minority youth have started feeling that they are deliberately targeted and deprived of their basis rights," he wrote and emphasised that the government is committed to its core principle of combating terrorism in every form and manifestation.

Shinde had asked the state governments to constitute special courts in consultation with high courts concerned for trial of terror-related cases, appoint special public prosecutors for trial of these cases and give priority to terror cases over other pending cases.

He said law enforcement agencies should be satisfied with regard to communal and social harmony while ensuring zero tolerance for terrorism.

In May, the Centre had set up 39 special courts under the NIA Act to take up terror-related cases.