Press Release, 9th October, 2012
Civil Liberties Monitoring Committee. India
Amberpet, Hyderabad, A.P. India 500013
Contact Nos: 09391051586, 09347853843 Fax No: 040-27427860
Condemn the attitude of a Hindutva Lawyer with Muslim Research Scholar
Civil Liberties Monitoring Committee strongly condemn the harassment and insult to the research scholars (students) belonging to the Muslim community by an Advocate named Rajvardhan Reddy who is dealing with the cases of Hindus who are accused in terror cases. The way he behaved with the students by inviting them on his residence is out of expectation in a civilized society. The uncultured attitude also reflects the degree of hatred against Muslims.
As per the sources Mr.Sharib Ali who is a research scholar from Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai and doing research on Terror cases all over India. In this connection, he came to Hyderabad and started collecting legal documents by meeting the activists and lawyers for the study purpose. In this process he contacted Advocate Rajvardhan Reddy on his mobile phone and requested for his appointment. Reddy asked him to come to the court to meet him; he went there along with Mr. Mohd. Ismail Khan a 4th year Law student from Osmania University Law College and is also Reporter of TCN a news website. He called the advocate on his mobile then Advocate Reddy said that he is busy in a meeting asked him to come to his residence in the evening at 8pm and explain them address and location of his residence. Accordingly both went to his residence and waited for him out side his residence because he was not present at home. After some time, Advocate Reddy along his wife arrived. He called them inside the house the students introduced themselves, then Advocate Reddy asked them to wait for sometime saying that he will get fresh and come back. After sometime he came back asked them their Identity proof, after seeing the documents he said to the students that as he is on the hit list because he is the president of the Hindu Vahini and for his security reason he has to verify them, and he had called the police for the same. Further he said, “Terrorists are everywhere. I am not talking about you, but I have to be careful” and also said why you people came to meet me, instead of meeting NIA. Within 2 minutes several policemen, including the station officer of Malakpet Police station P.Satyanarayan, came to Adv. Reddy’s house and started asking for verification of the students. Mr Sharib Ali had shown TISS Identity card and letter from his professor who is guiding him in research. And he presented the same to the officer. Sharib Ali told Mr. Reddy that he can verify him and that he has come in the capacity of research fellow to meet a lawyer. In the meantime, several other people entered the house spoke to the Advocate Reddy and left. This included policemen and other people who were later identified as belonging to Hindu Vahini from the stickers on their bikes. The police took Sharib Ali’s driving license and passport and then abruptly left with all his ids after saying something to Mr Reddy. In the Meanwhile, Sharib Ali interviewed with Mr. Reddy for his research work and almost done by then, and Sharib asked Mr Reddy to return his Ids. The police said that they will give it to them at the police station itself. Mr.Sharib Ali a research fellow of TISS asked Mr Reddy to finish off the verification there itself, and not to take it to the police station. By then there was a huge crowd of people outside the house. The crowd included policemen and Hindu Vahini people. The police then took them to the police station and interrogated the two students separately. Ismail was first called and he was asked several questions regarding himself and Sharib Ali. After that Sharib Ali was then called into the officers’ room and the officer wanted to take mug shot for which Sharib refused. On asking he revealed that as Advocate Rajvardhan Reddy is the president of Hindu Vahini he had called them saying that he felt threatened by the two students and hence they had the right to verify and keep their details for their records. They took a photo and photocopied all the documents including passport. Then the Police Inspector let them go by saying ‘why did you have to come to this guy. You know he is the president of Hindu Vahini and he deals with all Hindu cases. Now I am getting calls from my superiors couldn’t you have gone to anyone else?”
One thing is clear that this incident raised several question about life and liberty of Muslims and Hindutva forces using Tag of terrorism to isolate them and to keep them away from main stream.
Civil Liberties Monitoring Committee after speaking to Sharib Ali of TISS and Mohd. Ismail Khan, a young Law student of prestigious Osmania University College of Law comes to the conclusion that Advocate P. Rajvardhan Reddy’s intention was not good and is based upon malicious feelings. If at all he had threat from any new persons he should have not called the students to his residence. He played a big drama by calling the students to his residence, then calling the Hindu Vahini activists and the police pretending that he has threat from the people who have Muslim names. This attitude of the advocate is highly condemnable and he should have not done this as a lawyer. Now it also cleared that Hindutva forces not allowing and tolerate Muslims in Research field.
This committee appeals all the democrats, intellectuals and rights organization to condemn this fascist attitude and this committee raise this issue at every level to aware and educate the masses as Supreme Court of India said
“Ensure that no innocent has the feeling of sufferance only because ‘my name is Khan, but I am not a terrorist,’ Bench tells Police”
Lateef Mohammed Khan
Gen. Secretary.
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