Muslim outfits side with Jamaat

A group of Muslim outfits sympathetic to Bangladesh's Jamaat-e-Islami, whose leader Delwar Hossain Sayeedee has been awarded death sentence by a special war crime tribunal hearing the cases torture that took place in 1971 during the Liberation War, on Saturday expressed concern over the recent clashes in the neighbouring country and urged India to stop Bangladesh from plunging into a "civil war" like situation.

In a statement issued by Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, it said: "It was not in the interest of either Bangladesh or our country that Bangladesh should become victims of chaos. As a neighbour it is our duty to save Bangladesh from plunging into a civil war. So, we urge our government to impress upon Dhaka to abolish the so called war crimes tribunal and stop atrocities on Jamaat-e-Islami and other Islamic organisations."

Expressing solidarity with the Jamaat-e-Islami of Bangladesh , the Indian outfit said the war tribunal is neither international, nor is it based on principles of justice but a manifestation of "political vendetta." This comes on a day when the toll in the clashes between Jamaat supporters and people demanding justice for the war crimes left sore to nearly 50.

A press conference was later organised by a dozen Muslim and human rights organisations at the Press Club here in Kolkata. They criticised policies of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and lauded Sayeedee. "We had recently filed a deputation to the Bangladesh High Commissioner and it clearly didn't have any effect. We now urge our President Pranab Mukherjee to cancel his trip to Bangladesh as a mark of protest against the government atrocities there," said Mohd Qamruzzaman, general secretary, All Bengal Minorities Youth Federation.

Abdul Aziz, president, Milli Ittehad Parishad, termed the death sentence to the Muslim orator as unfair. "After 42 years, there is hardly any witness or evidence left to sentence him to death. There should be a fair trial and not a point blank death punishment," he said.

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