IUML reiterates demand for CBI probe in blast cases

Aurangabad, (Maharashtra) Nov 14 (UNI) Asserting that the Democratic Front (DF) government in Maharashtra was adopting double-standards towards non-Muslim and Muslim blast accused in the state, Indian Union Muslim Leage (IUML) president G M Banatwala today demanded that all the investigations into the blasts that have occurred recently in Maharashtra, should be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Addresing a press conference here, Mr Banatwala alleged that Muslims have became victims of police harassment in the aftermath of the 7/11 blasts and that the police have slowed down their investigations into those blast cases where non-Muslims were involved.

The former MP lamented that the state government has discriminated even in rendering financial assistance to the blast victims in Mumbai and Malegaon, as well as in the case of dalit massacare at Khairlanji.

When the government has offered financial assistance of more than Rs five lakh plus jobs to the the families of the blast victims in Mumbai, it has not offered more than Rs two lakh to the other blast victims, he charged.

Referring to the findings of various surveys, the IUML president said that it was now a known fact that Muslims are more backward than even the Dalits in the country, and reiterated his demand for reservations for the community.

''The Muslims should be included in the list of reservations in educational institutions, government jobs and the private sector without any delay as the delay may result into lot of complications in the future,'' Mr Banatwala warned.

The presence of the Muslim community in public sector undertakings (PSUs) was 1.9 per cent at the top level while it was 1.1 per cent at the lower level, he rued.

To a question, Mr Banatwala said that the Prime Minister's 15-point programme for minority uplift was meaningless, unless it had some statutory basis.

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