Maudhany to shun extremism, strive for downtrodden

Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 2: Asserting that he was not for any extremist activities, freed People's Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman Abdul Nasser Maudhany today said he would spend his remaining life promoting Dalit-Muslim unity. Addressing a media conference here, Mr Maudhany, who was acquitted of all charges in the sensational 1998 Coimbatore serial bomb blasts cases by a Special Court yesterday, said he would correct all his earlier mistakes and would work for the uplift of the downtrodden. He admitted that certain lapses had occurred while forming the Islamic Sevak Sangh, which was banned by the Centre.

Stating that he would never go back to his earlier path of extremism, the firebrand leader said many of his earlier speeches had become controversies as it contained provocative remarks against Hinduism. It was because of his immaturity and eagerness to enter mainstream politics, he added.

Mr Maudhany said his nine years in the Coimbatore Central prison had transformed him into a new person. He neither nursed a grouse nor had rivalry with anyone. He wanted to tender an open apology to all those who were hurt by his speeches.

To a question, he alleged that ''certain extra judicial works had taken place in not granting him bail. Certain 'black hands' were behind the move,'' he said, adding that ''I am right away stopping all the issues here and I have no enmity towards anybody. My future life will be for social work for the Dalits.'' Stating that the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) had failed to protect the interests of the downtrodden among the Muslims, Mr Maudhany said the PDP's main agenda would be to unite such people.

Pointing out that the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) Government in Kerala was initiating various programmes for the people, he said his party would support it for the time being.

On the BJP's remarks that the prosecution had failed to substantiate the charges against him, leading to his release, he claimed that ''it was wrong'' as all the documents in this regard had been produced by them and they even lured witnesses to make statements against him.

UNI