Imran Masood, Chandrashekhar Azad criticise UP govt after SC quashes NSA detention in Sambhal case

New Delhi, Sep 29 (IANS) Following the Supreme Court’s decision to quash the preventive detention of Mulla Afroz under the National Security Act (NSA) in connection with the November 2024 Sambhal violence, Congress MP Imran Masood and Aazad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram) president Chandrashekhar Azad on Tuesday criticised the Uttar Pradesh government.

The Supreme Court held that the power of preventive detention had been illegally exercised and imposed costs of Rs 10 lakh on the Uttar Pradesh government. The court also set aside the Allahabad High Court order that had upheld the detention.

Speaking to IANS, Masood said, “It has not only been quashed. Please read the complete news. Along with quashing the NSA, a fine of Rs 10 lakh has also been imposed on the state government.”

“Officials should understand that the agenda they are pursuing with their eyes closed will eventually lead to files reaching the Supreme Court and could send them behind bars. The Saharanpur mosque case will also come up in the same manner,” he said.

Masood further said, “There are documents that are speaking for themselves. You cannot hide those documents. Demolishing mosques and persecuting people based on religion goes against the Indian Constitution. The same Constitution that gives you the authority to hold office also guarantees the protection of our rights.”

Aazad Samaj Party president and Nagina MP, Chandrashekhar Azad, said the Rs 10 lakh cost imposed by the Supreme Court was inadequate.

“A Rs 10 lakh fine is too little. The government and police send innocent people to jail on the government’s orders, and when the judiciary imposes a fine on them, it is only Rs 10 lakh. In my view, the fine should have been Rs 10 crore,” he said.

Azad alleged that the NSA was being used to suppress opposition voices and silence cases, adding that he had himself been detained under the law.

“I am sitting before you today after the government detained me under the NSA despite me being innocent. I was kept in jail for 16 months,” he said.

“The government wants to suppress voices of opposition and silence cases through the NSA. The people will not be suppressed either. When the people and the state stand up, they will remove this government from power,” he added.

The Supreme Court’s ruling came on a petition filed by Mulla Afroz, who was arrested in connection with the Sambhal violence.

–IANS

jk/rad