Thorough inquiry should be made: P Chidambaram on Hyderabad encounter
Ranchi: Former Union home minister P Chidambaram said on Friday that a "thorough inquiry" should be made into the killing of the four people, accused in the rape and murder of a 25-year-old woman veterinarian in Hyderabad.
All the four accused were killed in an encounter with the police around 6.30 am when they were taken to the site of the offence for reconstruction of the crime scene as part of the investigations, a senior official said.
"I don't know the facts about what happened, but I can say this much, whatever happened, an inquiry should be made into it," Chidambaram told reporters when asked for a reaction on the incident during a press conference here.
"There must be a thorough inquiry to know if it (is a) genuine encounter or whether it is anything else. As a responsible person, I will ask for a thorough inquiry," he added.
The Congress leader was in the city to take part in the party's poll campaign.
"This election in Jharkhand will mark an important turning point -- the BJP on the one side and the secular- progressive parties on the other. Eighty-one members will run the state and I appeal to the people of Jharkhand to remain focused on who will be these 81 people," he said.
Urging the people of the state to vote for the opposition alliance, he said the Congress has dented the BJP in Haryana and denied it power in Maharashtra.
Chidambaram, who was on Wednesday night released on bail from the Tihar Jail after 106 days in custody in the INX Media money-laundering case, also said that the opposition alliance will have a common minimum programme if voted to power.
"We will ensure the firm implementation of the Chhotanagpur Tenancy Act, the Santhal Pargana Tenancy Act (Acts that protects tribal land in Jharkhand), the Forest Rights Act and the Panchayati Raj Act (Extension to Scheduled Areas)," he said.
He also reiterated his party's promise of crop loan waiver up to Rs 2 lakh, increase in mandays under the MG-NREGA scheme and house for every family, if voted to power.
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Successfully overcame major resistance to Karnataka Muslim Convention, says Suhail Ahmed Maroor
Bengaluru: Karnataka Rajya Muslim Sanghatanegala Okkoota spokesperson Suhail Ahmed Maroor on Saturday said the organisers had successfully overcome what he described as significant resistance to the ‘Karnataka Muslim Convention’, despite a misinformation campaign in the last 24 hours claiming that the event had been cancelled.
Speaking at the convention organised by the Karnataka Rajya Muslim Sanghatanegala Okkoota at Town Hall in Bengaluru, Maroor began his introductory remarks by reading out the Preamble to the Constitution.
He said the federation had spent the past eight months consulting members of the Muslim community and gathering opinions, with the objective of working for the community’s interests and safeguarding its constitutional rights.
Maroor said the Muslim community has the capacity to gather lakhs of people for religious programmes, but when an attempt was made to mobilise even 1,000 people for a convention focused on political, educational and social issues, questions were raised about who was backing the event, who had funded it, and whether it was for or against any particular political party.
He said the organisers faced considerable pressure, resistance and challenges, and added that many others might have cancelled the programme under such circumstances.
“We are fighting for our rights. We are living in a time when our identity is under threat,” he said.
Referring to the hijab issue, Maroor said the federation had been demanding for the past three years that the government withdraw the order banning hijab. He noted that within three hours of the federation holding a press conference to announce the convention, the government withdrew the order.
He welcomed the government’s decision and expressed gratitude on behalf of the federation.
Maroor said the convention should not be viewed with suspicion simply because the Muslim community had chosen to organise a gathering to discuss its political, educational and social concerns.
He clarified that the programme was not intended as an event against the Congress party or the government, but was aimed at examining what promises the Congress had made to the Muslim community during elections, which of those promises had been fulfilled and which remained pending.
He said the report prepared by the federation analyses both the assurances made by the Congress government and the gaps in implementation.
Maroor added that, for the first time, workers who contribute significantly to the country’s economy were collectively seeking accountability for how their taxes and labour were being recognised.
“This is not being done on behalf of any individual or political party. We are undertaking a small effort on behalf of the community,” he said.
He said that after the convention, the organisers would make efforts to submit the report to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar, state ministers, the Congress high command and Rahul Gandhi.
Haris Siddiqui of the Karnataka Rajya Muslim Sanghatanegala Okkoota delivered the welcome address.
