'Is police paid to arrest Muslims?

'Is police paid to arrest Muslims? 'Mateen Hafeez

[ 19 Sep, 2006 0046hrs IST TIMES NEWS NETWORK ]


MUMBAI: Sisters of Shahnawaz Qureshi have got a lot of questions for the system. Qureshi is accused number 29 in the 1993 blasts was convicted of planting explosives at Plaza theatre, which killed 10 and injured 37. "The police caught our brother and the court convicted him. But what about those involved in riots, raping Muslim women, killing innocent boys, demolishing the Babri Masjid? What have the police done about all that?" Najma, the eldest of 12 siblings, asked. The sisters work as domestic helps. They also double up as zari weavers in their spare time. Their parents passed away — it was "trauma", the sisters said on Monday — and Qureshi went without a lawyer as the family had no money. All the family members justify Quereshi's act. "Where was the government when hundreds of Muslims were killed in Surat, Mumbai, women raped and our mosque demolished? "Four of our relatives were killed in the riots. Is the police paid to arrest Muslims only?" another sister, Parveen, asked.

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