Shortly after being criticised by the Shia community for defending Mumbai terror accused Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab, lawyer Abbas Kazmi has been removed as a trustee from the prestigious Islam Gymkhana on the same ground.

Kazmi's appointment as a trustee of Islam Gymkhana was terminated this week on the ground that defending a terrorist was against the essence of Islam.

This is the second instance where Kazmi has been criticised after he took up Kasab's case. A few days back, Muslim Ulemas, clerics and scholars had said that "by calling himself a Shia community member, Kazmi has given an impression that he is the leader of Shias".

Gymkhana sent Kazmi a letter saying "you have agreed to defend the most dreaded terrorist Kasab. This is against the essence of Islam. There is no place for terrorism in Islam and also no scope for any defence of a terrorist. To maintain Gymkhana's integrity, your trusteeship is being terminated".

Reacting sharply to the Gymkhana's decision, Kazmi said that "this smacks of political vendetta. The gymkhana is not a Muslim body but an association of persons. How can they say that defending an accused was against the essence of Islam"?

"I am performing my professional duty. Accepting Kasab's brief has nothing to do with Islam. The court has appointed me to take up Kasab's case and I have followed the directive".