Jamait slams BJP leader over terror charge, ban demand

Jamait Ulema-e-Hind (JUH), which provides free legal aid to Muslim youths held in terror- related cases, today rejected a BJP MLA's charge that it was promoting terrorism and criticised him for demanding a ban on the organisation.
The outfit said charges levelled by Ashish Shelar, BJP legislator who is also President of the party's Mumbai City unit, were completely "false, baseless and defamatory".
The organisation was referring to allegations recently made by Shelar on the floor of Maharashtra Assembly, currently having its winter session in Nagpur, that JUH collects "huge" donations to fight cases for people arrested on terror charges and should be banned as it "promotes" terrorism.

"It (Shelar's charge) is completely false, baseless, defamatory, shameful and needs to be condemned in strongest words," Jamiat President Maulana Mustaqeem, and Secretary of its Legal Cell, Gulzar Azmi, said in a statement here.
Jamait-e-Ulema said it was providing legal assistance not only to members of its community but also to non-Muslims held in serious crimes, including terrorism, who it believes are "innocent". The outfit denied it was providing legal aid to Abu Jundal, LeT operative arrested in 26/11 attack case.
"We are providing legal aid to 400 people booked in 55 cases across India. But before deciding to take up a case our organisation makes sure that it vetted by expert lawyers and antecedents of the accused/victims are also checked", the Jamait's office-bearers added.

Jamait also provides help to riot-hit people and those affected by natural calamities, the statement said.
"It has come to Jamait's notice that several times innocent Muslim youths are arrested by police on the pretext of conducting investigations and in the interests of national security. It is a serious issue....A moral and social issue, and hence, if we are satisfied that the person is innocent, we take up the case," it added.