Facebook campaign urged for Indian Muslim leader Madani’s release

A seminar organized by Justice for Madani Forum’s Jeddah chapter has called for a Facebook campaign for the freedom of the People’s Democratic Party Chairman Abdul Nasser Madani, who has been languishing in Indian jails without trial for several years.
The seminar accused the Indian media of unfairly branding Madani, who had spoken for the rights of Muslims, Dalits and other minorities, as a terrorist and extremist. This branding resulted in his continued imprisonment without bail, it added.
Muslim League leader and Parliament Member E.T. Mohammed Basheer, who launched the seminar by phone from New Delhi, said the Indian government should make sure Madani gets his rights and justice.
“We cannot see another person suffering like Madani, who has been denied justice for quite a long time. Justice delayed is justice denied,” he said, quoting the famous legal maxim.
Madani was previously jailed for nearly 10 years for connection with the 1998 Bangalore serial blasts. Police could not prove his involvement and the court set him free. Human right activists said the wheelchair-borne Muslim leader was jailed again by authorities, leveling false charges, to vent their political vendetta.
In his brief speech, Basheer said he had taken up Madani’s case with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Interior Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, but surprisingly, there was no breakthrough.
“I have visited him in Coimbatore jail twice. I have noticed that his health condition has gotten worse. He is suffering from various diseases that need specialized care,” the MP said, urging Indians to oppose the injustice against Madani.
Gopi Nedungadi, president of the forum, highlighted the growing human rights violations in India, the world’s largest democracy, and said his organization would continue its efforts to win Madani’s release. Professor Raynolds of King Abdulaziz University stressed the need for creating a human force to liberate Madani.
K.T. Abubacker, president of the Jeddah Speakers Forum, released a documentary on Madani, produced by K.P. Sashi, by giving a copy to Vidyan. He called for a Facebook campaign to win Madani’s freedom.
Abbas Ali, who presented the topic, said it was the media that made Madani a terrorist by constantly publishing false reports. He said all Indians should get equal rights as per the country’s constitution.
Ebrahim Chamnad, a journalist, said public support should be mobilized for Madani to win his rights. “Muslims should reach out to all other communities in the nation.” Thomas Vidyan, a forum executive, said Delhi should be ashamed of keeping Madani in jail without trial.