Darul Uloom delegation meets PM, discuss terror

A high-level delegation from Islamic seminary Darul Uloom met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday and demanded that trials in terror cases be fast-tracked to ensure that the "innocent" are not jailed for long and are provided speedy justice.

The delegation led by Darul Uloom Deoband Vice Chancellor, Abul Qasim Nomani, presented a memorandum to the PM, highlighting some key demands like annulling the Central Madrassa Board proposal and exemption of Muslim mosques and educational and religious institutions from direct taxes code, among others, the representatives said.

The group expressed concern that "a special community" has almost always been "targeted" in the aftermaths of terrorist attacks in the country and investigating agencies had failed to perform their duties well.

They pointed out that many of the people arrested in the name of terrorism from different parts of the country had later been acquitted by the courts. They demanded that trials of people accused of terrorism be "fast tracked" and the innocent be released.

"Innocent people... are still (languishing) in many lock ups and a number of them, despite have been acquitted from the courts, are yet to be released," said their memorandum.

The delegation said there was also need to confront the mindset of accusing "a special community" after incidents of terrorism occur.

Darul Uloom had in 2008 issued a fatwa denouncing acts of terror and had condemned the targeting of innocent people.