The Hindu : Front Page : A Bush ploy: U.P. Muslims

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Sunday, Dec 31, 2006
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A Bush ploy: U.P. Muslims

Special Correspondent

Protests soon after television channels broke the news

LUCKNOW : The execution of the former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's execution on Saturday spawned protests by Muslims in Uttar Pradesh, who dubbed the action George W. Bush's ploy to extend the U.S. hegemony over the oil-rich region.The former Prime Minister V.P. Singh and the ruling Samajwadi Party joined them in condemning the hanging.

Describing Mr. Hussein as an old and trusted ally of India, Mr. Singh sought to put the Manmohan Singh Government in the dock for not applying diplomatic pressure on Iraq against the death sentence ordered by a trial court. Mr. Hussein was denied a fair trial as his counsel were killed in the course of the court proceedings. Mr. Singh assailed the United States for invading Iraq on the pretext of destroying weapons of mass destruction. But till date nothing was found. Hundreds of innocent Iraqis were killed by the U.S. Army. Accountability should be fixed for the death of innocent people, he said. The Jan Morcha, of which Mr. Singh is convener, would stage Statewide protests next week.

Jan Morcha Alliance president Raj Babbar said Mr. Hussein was killed by the U.S., whose President wanted to browbeat other countries into submission.

`Gross injustice'

State Revenue Minister Ambika Chaudhari told reporters that the manner in which the death sentence was carried out could lead to people losing faith in the judicial system. "Gross injustice" was meted to the former Iraqi President, he said and slammed the U.S. for trying to dismember a democratic country.

The act was "unparalleled." He wanted to know who should be punished for the killings of lakhs of Iraqis at the hands of the U.S. Army personnel.

Protests against the execution started in the morning soon after television channels broke the news. Hundreds of Sunni Muslims gathered near the Pata Nala police outpost in the Old City to voice their protest. Raising anti-U.S. and anti-Bush slogans, the gathering, led by the Naib Imam of the Aishbagh Eidgah and the All-India Muslim Personal Law Board member Maulana Khalid Rasheed Firangi Mahali, slammed the U.S. for killing innocent people.

Later, addressing an "Ihtejaaj ka Muzahira" (display of anger) gathering at the Islamic Centre of India near the Aishbagh Eidgah, the Maulana condemned the U.S. action against Mr. Hussein, who was democratically elected President twice. Describing his trial as a "farcical exercise," the Maulana said the timing of the execution — the annual Haj pilgrimage by around 35 lakh Muslims was completed only on Friday and some countries celebrated Eid-al-Azha on Saturday — showed that the U.S. wanted to pit Muslims against Muslims. He appealed to the ulema to recite special prayers for Iraq on January 1, when India celebrates Eid-al-Azha.

The Islamic Centre wanted the Centre to lodge an official protest with the U.S. and the United Nations, as "Saddam Hussein was India's friend."

The Ulema Council and the Jamaat-I-Islami attended the meeting.

Reports of protests were also received from Kanpur and Bareilly.

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