Centre won’t be involved in UP’s move to release jailed Muslims
23 Sep 2013 11:31 PM GMT
The Centre has washed its hands of Uttar Pradesh government’s move to release Muslim youths who were allegedly falsely implicated on terror charges, contending that it has no role in the decision as law and order is a state subject.
The home ministry has decided to convey to the Allahabad high court, which is hearing a PIL on the issue, that the UP government’s decision to give relief to the incarcerated Muslim youths who are in various prisons for their alleged involvement in terror acts was its own initiative and the Centre would not like to get involved in it.
The ministry is said to have cited that ‘law and order is a state subject under the Constitution’ and the central government does not interfere in it, official sources said.
The ministry decided to steer clear of the controversial move of the Akhilesh Yadav government after the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad high court sought the Centre’s opinion in response to a PIL filed in this regard.
A high court bench while staying the Uttar Pradesh government’s order to withdraw cases against persons accused of indulging in terror activities had referred the case to a larger bench. The bench of justices Rajeev Saran and Mahendra Dayal had asked the UP government on what basis it was taking such a decision and whether it had consulted central government before taking the initiative.
When the state government could not give any satisfactory reply, the bench referred the matter to a larger bench and directed the state and central governments to file their replies.
The ruling SP in state had made a pre-poll promise to the electorate in 2012 to provide relief to ‘innocent’ youth languishing in UP jails on terror charges if it comes to power.
The home ministry has decided to convey to the Allahabad high court, which is hearing a PIL on the issue, that the UP government’s decision to give relief to the incarcerated Muslim youths who are in various prisons for their alleged involvement in terror acts was its own initiative and the Centre would not like to get involved in it.
The ministry is said to have cited that ‘law and order is a state subject under the Constitution’ and the central government does not interfere in it, official sources said.
The ministry decided to steer clear of the controversial move of the Akhilesh Yadav government after the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad high court sought the Centre’s opinion in response to a PIL filed in this regard.
A high court bench while staying the Uttar Pradesh government’s order to withdraw cases against persons accused of indulging in terror activities had referred the case to a larger bench. The bench of justices Rajeev Saran and Mahendra Dayal had asked the UP government on what basis it was taking such a decision and whether it had consulted central government before taking the initiative.
When the state government could not give any satisfactory reply, the bench referred the matter to a larger bench and directed the state and central governments to file their replies.
The ruling SP in state had made a pre-poll promise to the electorate in 2012 to provide relief to ‘innocent’ youth languishing in UP jails on terror charges if it comes to power.
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