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Jamia Students Protest Against Kazmi’s Arrest

By Syed Zafar Mehdi

24 March, 2012
Countercurrents.org

A large mass of protestors, mostly youth, took out a rally this evening from Jamia Milia University to Okhla Head, in support of arrested journalist Mohammad Ahmad Kazmi. Protestors, most of them Jamia students, numbering around 500, vociferously chanted slogans against police and demanded the immediate release of Kazmi. They accused police of framing the scribe on dubious charges and subjecting him to custodial torture and harassment.

The march started near the main gate of varsity at around 6 in the evening, passing through the campus, Tikona Park, Batla House and finally culminated at Okhla Head. There was a brief demonstration outside Okhla Head police station also. Perched on top of a car, Kazmi’s son Turab addressed the gathering. “I am requesting you all to stand up for truth and justice. Don’t let police make mockery of law by targeting innocents on flimsy grounds,” said 18 year old Turab, who has skipped his board examinations to fight for his father.

His elder brother 23 year old Shauzab Kazmi vouched for the innocence of his father and thanked his supporters for standing by him and the family in these trying times. “I am really overwhelmed by the support and solidarity shown by everyone and I hope this fight for justice will be taken to its logical end,” said Shauzab.

Protestors, carrying the ‘Save Kazmi’ placards and banners pledged their support to Kazmi and his family. “It is clearly a vicious conspiracy smacking of malice and vendetta against the scribe because of his unflinching stand on some of the burning issues,” said Nisar Hussain, a protestor. “Police is yet to come up with hard evidence and so we must assume that a person is innocent until proven guilty, and also there are so many questions that police needs to answer,” said Nadeem Ahmad, student of Jamia University.

There is a massive protest planned on March 26 outside Indian Parliament. “We have been protesting peacefully since many days now and our only demand is free and fair investigation into the case,” said Hussain Ali, a protestor. “I request everyone to come and join us on March 26 outside Parliament so that we can put across the message to those in power corridors,” said Shauzab.

Kazmi was picked up by Delhi Police’s Special Cell on March 7, while returning to his home in Jor Bagh from India Islamic Cultural Centre, Lodhi Road. He is accused of providing the ‘logistical support’ to those who attacked the Israeli diplomat’s car in New Delhi recently. According to the police, main accused have fled the country. Police has already released the sketches of three suspects.

However Kazmi’s family has trashed the charges as baseless and concocted, alleging that he has been framed primarily because he is an outspoken critic of US and Israel and appears on news channels regularly. Some of the noted journalists and human rights activists have also jumped in his defense, calling him an ‘honest and upright’ journalist who cannot be involved in such dastardly crime.

Writer is a Delhi based journalist. He can be reached at [email protected]

 



 


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