Thread by @indscribe

It was 2008-09, Muslims youths were being indiscriminately picked up across India, more in UP & boys from Azamgarh were on target. TV channels used the term 'aatank-garh'. A special train was chartered & Ulama Council went to Delhi to meet UPA govt, to stop the witch-hunt 1/2

In last week of Jan 2009, the train left Azamgarh--the land of Rahul Sankrityayan & Shibli Nomani, that had been defamed & where peace was shattered. Today, those who had gone to Delhi recall, how PC said, 'morale of agencies would be affected'. Ya, now see the morale, they say.

In independent India, Muslim youngsters had never felt such climate of fear over such a long period, as it was during the era. Talha, son of Ulema Council leader Maulana Amir Rashadi, was arrested in train journey, midway in Maharashtra. Towns like Bhatkal were demonized as well.

Every other family then had a story to tell about someone being picked up, questioned, denied residences. Even in Lucknow, it was difficult to get house on rent if you hailed from Azamgarh or even Mau-Jaunpur. From Batla House till German Bakery case & till 2011, this fear lasted

Today, we have Twitter-Facebook, platforms to discuss. In those days, so much happened and people didn't even dare to utter the words or complain on phone, for fear that they may come under scanner.

And I am saying it as a journo who was covering crime then also for decade. I was well-connected, in touch with cops, ATS, all other wings in MP, other regions & saw-experienced the fear, among Muslim youth. Many won't believe but if we don't tell our story, who would!

Lot of people feel strange when you talk about the era. But in those days if a Muslim youth was picked up, kin had no idea where he was, which agency, when he would be released. Rogue cops enjoyed it. Ulema were targeted, Maulana Tariq Qasmi-Khalid Mujahid framed, latter killed