The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Ex gratia sought for kin of pilgrims killed in Iraq

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Sep 04, 2006

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Ex gratia sought for kin of pilgrims killed in Iraq

Staff Reporter

US blamed for fomenting sectarian violence and creating dissension among Muslims

Hyderabad: A protest meeting held here on Sunday strongly denounced the killing of three pilgrims from the State near Karbala in Iraq. It blamed the US aggression for the escalating violence in that region.

The meeting was convened by All-India Seerat-e-Zehra Committee at Dar-us-Shifa grounds to condemn the slaying of Mohd Ahmed Ali, Mulla Mohiuddin Baig and Syed Jafar Masiuddin by terrorists. Leaders cutting across party lines and communities shared the dais. Seerat-e-Zehra Committee general secretary Ali Raza presided. In a resolution the meeting demanded that the Government of India sanction an ex gratia of Rs. 5 lakhs each and a job to the victims' families.

Though their death was untimely, they were among the fortunate few to attain martyrdom, another resolution said. Slogans of `Bush murdabad and US down down' rent the air.

Later, an effigy of George Bush was set afire.

Security sought

Both Shia and Sunni leaders strongly condemned the shooting down of pilgrims and said this would not stop people from visiting the holy sites in Iraq. Noted Shia scholar Moulana Raza Abbas said the Government should provide security, but not stop people from embarking on pilgrimage. P. Madhu, Communist Party of India (Marxist) MP, paid homage to the slain pilgrims and condemned the ghastly killing. He also demanded ex gratia of Rs. 5 lakhs to the next of kin of each victim from the Prime Minister's Relief Fund.

MBT corporator Amjadullah Khalid criticised the US for fomenting sectarian violence in Iraq and creating dissension among Muslims. But it would not succeed. Syed Shah Badruddin Jeelani, president, Sunni Ulema Board and Moulana Luqman Husain Moosvi also spoke.

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