Noted civil rights activist Shabnam Hashmi has written to Congress president Sonia Gandhi regarding brutal attack on a Muslim youth by Mumbai police for unintentionally crossing a traffic signal.
Bilal Abdul Qadir Sheikh was brutally thrashed by four Bhiwandi police personnel in Mumbai for crossing a traffic signal on May 2. While assaulting him they passed communal remarks against Bilal.
He sufferd serious injuries and was admitted to Rajmukhi hospital in Mulund where he underwent life saving surgeries.
Bilal was discharged from the ICU on May 14 with doctors’ advice to take complete rest for four weeks.
However, his troubles did not end here, he was sent to the 14-days judicial custody on Wednesday by a Mumbai court on false charges levelled against him by the traffic police.
Shabnam Hashmi, along with Bilal’s brother met Maharashtra chief minister Prithviraj Chavan on MAy 14 seeking action against the accused policemen. But, nothing has been done in this regard yet.
Here is the full text of Ms Hashmi’s letter to Sonia Gandhi:
Dear Mrs Gandhi,
Bilal a young man was brutally attacked by Bhiwandi police on May 2, 2012 for crossing a signal. he offered to pay the fine as it was his mistake. The policeman took out the key from his motorcycle, dragged him by holding his caller, used highly abusive and communal language and then joined by three more brutally attacked him constantly using communal abuses against him. His shoulder and right hand joint broke, the joint ball came out. He had to spend days in ICU.
I came to know about this on May 9th, immediately raised it with media and some Mumbai based leaders. Met the Chief Minister on May 14th with Bilal\\\’s brother Dr Salim and Mr. Yusuf Abrahani . We showed him the x ray of Bilal told him the fact that he will never fully recover but probably 90%. He said he will talk to the Police commissioner I don\\\’t think he ever did.
DCP, ACP OF Bhiwandi had met Bilal in hospital a few days before this meeting past midnight and threatened him to compromise as he will not get anything by fighting.
Despite talking to everyone in media, senior political leaders ( and I happen to know quite a few), meeting the CM, the police has shown its all power and have against doctor\\\’s advise of two weeks complete rest, Bilal was sent to jail by putting charges against him, while the four policemen roam free.
Looking back I think it was our foolishness to advise him to fight against injustice because one should stop thinking that minorities, Dalits, Adivasis & poor can ever get justice .
With every day and with every case the minorities are loosing faith in all the promises given by UPA. Your being very secular or Dr Manmohan Singh being very \\\’nice\\\’ does not help those who are hounded , tortured , beaten up , demonised every day. The Institutional bias has only increased because Dr Manmohan Singh did not want to be vindictive.
Cleansing the system and removing the institutional bias and removing communal cadre, sensitizing them is following the Indian Constitution and not being \\\’vindictive\\\’. UPA has allowed highly communal elements to penetrate very deep at every level.
What all should we forget? Batla House, Kazmi, Bilal, hundreds of boys who have been tortured, encountered?
Shabnam