Shinde's letter on wrongful detention of innocent Muslims 'highly communal, objectionable': Rajnath Singh

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Rajnath Singh on Tuesday dubbed Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde's advisory to state governments to avoid wrongful detention of innocent Muslims as 'highly communal' and 'highly objectionable'.

"Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde had recently sent an advisory to chief ministers of all states, on wrongful detention of innocent Muslim youths. BJP feels that no person, irrespective of the religion, should be wrongfully detained," he told media here today.

"I find the Home Minister's advisory highly communal, and highly objectionable. This advisory is an attempt to break the communal harmony in this country, and the Home Minister should take this advisory back," he added.

Earlier on September 30, Shinde had asked chief ministers of all states to avoid detaining innocent Muslim youth wrongfully.

Shinde said the Central Government has been receiving representations about alleged harassment of innocent Muslim youth by law enforcement agencies, and added that there is a growing feeling of alienation in the community.

"Minority youth have started feeling that they are deliberately targeted and deprived of their basic rights," he added.

"Government has to ensure that no innocent person is subjected to undue harassment," he told the chief ministers.

He urged state governments to set up special courts in consultation with the concerned high court for trial of terror-related cases, appoint special public prosecutors for trial of these cases and give priority to terror cases over other pending cases.

Shinde said law enforcement agencies should be satisfied with regard to communal and social harmony while ensuring zero tolerance for terrorism.

He also called for strict and prompt action against erring police officers.

In May, the central government has set up the 39 special courts under the NIA Act to take up terror-related cases.