Godhra, Jan 14: Maulana Hussain Umarji passed away Sunday night. He was 73.
Maulana Umarji was called the “key conspirator” of the Godhra train burning incident by Special Investigation Team (SIT). He spent eight years in jail for no fault of his. He was acquitted in 2011 by a special court.
Umarji organized relief camp in Godhra in 2002 for the survivors of Panchmahal & Dahod districts in the aftermath of 2002 anti-Muslim pogrom in Gujrat.
Activist Teesta Setalvad described Umar ji as “a symbol of Courage, Resistance, and Faith.”
“From 2003 - 2011 he has to spend in jail, seriously ill and heartbroken the victim of a vindictive administration who invoked POTA to incarcerate him simply because he had extended a courageous helping hand to his community women, girls boys and men,” said Ms. Setalvad about Maulan Umar ji.
During his eight long years in jail, he was denied bail by courts even after approaching the Supreme Court.
Finally he was "honourably acquitted" when the final judgement was delivered. No Bail was granted to him even after he approached the Supreme Court. Other accused of the Godhra mass arson were similarly refused bail while eighty per cent of those accused of the post Godhra reprisal massacres were given bail within six months to a year....
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