Angry Muslim youths hooted and heckled National Conference (NC) president and Union minister for new and renewable energy Farooq Abdullah for sermonising and not giving a solution. Abdullah was addressing a conference on ‘Politics of terror, targeting Muslim youth’ at the Constitution Club on Monday. Abdullah said that ever since the 9/11 attacks, Muslims around the world are viewed with suspicion. He added that even he is not exempt from discrimination. “The moment they read my name I am called aside and frisked. Even APJ Abdul Kalam was not spared if you remember,” he said.

Abdullah promised that a solution will be worked out after discussing the matter in the cabinet.

Mother of Fasih Mahmood, an engineer who was picked up in Saudi Arabia and has been missing since May 13, lamented at the apathy of the Indian government. “We are Indian citizens. So we will demand answers from Indian government and not Saudi Arabia. It has been two months since my son was picked up by authorities. We are still clueless about his whereabouts. Family members have run from pillar to post in search of an answer but to no avail. But I will not rest until I find my son,” she said tearfully.

Shaudab Kazmi, son of arrested journalist Syed Muhammed Ahmad Kazmi, said that the police so far have not told him what exactly the charges against his father are. “Until now, I have returned empty handed from everywhere. Mass protests had been held to protest his unlawful detention. But it has fallen on deaf ears,” he said.

Swami Agnivesh said that the man responsible for incarcerating an innocent man should be kept in jail for an equally long time to teach them a lesson. “On June 28, innocent tribals, including children were killed in Chhattisgarh. P Chidambaran was celebrating declaring that Naxalites were killed,” he said while holding out a banner displaying the dead bodies of slain children.

“As long as P Chidambaram is home minister no justice will be delivered,” he added.

Samajwadi Party leader Mohan Singh said that he is ready to give his full support to this endeavour.

“A large number of undertrials who are kept in jail without being charge sheeted and produced before the court are Muslims, SCs and STs,” said D Raja.

“Each time an innocent is killed, the government comes up with ‘I am sorry’. This attitude has to change. These issues have to be taken up inside and outside of parliament,” he added.

Nilotpal Basu said no solution can be achieved if it stays a fight only for the Muslims. “It is not a communal fight. We have to stand united,” he said.

Seema Mustafa, convener of the conference said that there is no compensation or rehabilitation for those innocent Muslim men who get picked by police on concocted charges and spend years in prison.