The Hindu : Flutter in court as Al-Umma men raise anti-Modi slogans

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jul 30, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Tamil Nadu

Flutter in court as Al-Umma men raise anti-Modi slogans

By Our Staff Reporter

The Al_Umma founder-leader, S. A. Basha (in white dress), and Mohammed Subair, two of the nine accused in the Hindu Munnani activist, Veerashiva murder case, coming out of the district sessions court complex in Coimbatore, after they were sentenced to life term on Tuesday. — Photo: Siva Saravanan

Coimbatore July 29. Al-Umma undertrials caused a flutter in the district sessions court complex here this afternoon, raising slogans against the Gujarat Chief Minister, Narendra Modi, opposing his proposed Coimbatore visit on August 1. They said he was responsible for communal riots in Gujarat and hence his visit would disrupt the peace in Coimbatore.

Tension prevailed in the complex from the morning, as nine Al-Umma activists were produced in court for judgment in the 1991 Hindu Munnani activist, Veerashiva murder case.

As they emerged from the court after having been awarded life imprisonment, the activists shouted slogans that they believed ``only in the verdict of the Almighty''.

After S. Murugan, judge of the fast track court- III pronounced the verdict, S.A. Basha, founder-leader of Al-Umma, said ``the court had chosen to punish the innocent'' and told him that ``God will give you greater punishment''.

Accusing the various Hindu movements of trying to wage a war against their outfits ``by hiding behind the seats of power'', the accused wanted the Hindutva forces to come out and openly fight them. Two other accused, Zakir Hussain and Oom Babu, joined Shahul Hameed and S.A. Basha in shouting slogans that praised their faith and said they would ``fear none except God''.

Zakir Hussain said ``we will not spare Narendra Modi when he visits Coimbatore for the excesses committed on the minorities in Gujarat''. He said Mr. Modi's visit would only unite the minorities to protect their community.

The slogan-shouting continued as the undertrials resisted police efforts to draw them away to waiting vehicles for being taken back to the Coimbatore central prison.

Hussain also threatened that if Mr. Modi visited the city, August 1 would witness a repeat of February 14, 1998 (referring to the serial blasts and communal frenzy which claimed 58 lives and left more than 200 persons injured, besides a loss of property worth Rs. 17 crores).

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