Prominent Muslim organization Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind on Tuesday termed as "discriminatory" the arrest of Alt News co-founder Mohammed Zubair and demanded that the government take "fair action" in the matter respecting the country's reputation at the international level. Jamiat president Maulana Mahmood Madani also wrote to Home Minister Amit Shah saying "the discriminatory nature" of the functioning of law enforcement agencies is condemnable.
"On one hand, people who openly deliver hate speeches and make genocide calls are roaming free, while on the other hand journalists who are tirelessly working in exposing such hate-mongers are being systematically harassed and intimidated," Madani said. In the case against Zubair, he alleged "discrimination and religious persecution".
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"There is no doubt that the people accused of hurting religious sentiments of other people's faith, their holy saints, and holy books with the intention to cause communal disturbance must be dealt with firmly as per the provision of the law. However, there must not be any discrimination in dealing with such people on the basis of their particular faith," the Jamiat chief said.
"We solemnly appeal to you as the guardian of the law enforcement to kindly make sure that absolute equality and impartiality is exercised by the law enforcement agencies in dealing with the hate mongers irrespective of their faith... We demand that the government take fair action respecting the country's reputation at the international level," Madani said in his letter.
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The fact-checking website's co-founder was arrested by the Special Cell of the Delhi Police on Monday on charges of promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion and deliberate acts to outrage religious feelings of the Indian Penal Code.
A Delhi court on Tuesday extended by four days the custodial interrogation of Zubair in a case related to an "objectionable tweet" he had posted in 2018 against a Hindu deity.
