UP defends withdrawing case against alleged Huji operative

Under attack for dropping charges against an alleged HuJI operative, the ruling Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh today defended its decision saying whosoever is innocent should be given relief.
SP spokesman Rajendra Chowdhury claimed that during the previous BSP rule, "a number of youths were labelled as terrorists and lodged in jails."
"The decision to withdraw cases against innocent youths lodged in jails is justified. In previous government a number of youths were labelled as terrorists and lodged in jails," Chowdhury said.
BJP's allegation of Muslim appeasement has "communal colour" as there is no caste of terrorists, the SP leader said.

BJP leader Kalyan Singh today said that UP government's decision of dropping case against Tariq Kasim, accused of being involved in serial blasts in Gorakhpur, is a "blatant example of Muslim appeasement".
"Whosoever is innocent should be given relief," Chowdhury said.

The state government yesterday withdrew case against Kasim, an accused in 2007 serial blasts in Gorakhpur, and asked the court to drop charges against him.
"Government has requested the court to withdraw case against Tariq Kasmi in Gorakhpur blast. The decision has been taken after a report from District Magistrate and Superintendent of Police, Gorakhpur," Secretary Home Sarvesh Mishra said said yesterday.

Six persons were injured in the blast which took place on May 23, 2007 at Golghar crossing in Gorakhpur.
After coming to power, the UP Government had announced to the review cases against "innocent" youths lodged in jail on charges of attacks in Rampur as well as in serial blasts in courts of Faizabad, Barabanki, Lucknow and also in Gorakhpur and Varanasi blasts.