IANS
GUWAHATI, OCTOBER 29
[dropcap]A[/dropcap]ll India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) chief Badaruddin Ajmal Wednesday denied any nexus of the party with Bangladesh-based Jihadi outfits and termed the allegations a conspiracy to damage the party and his image.
Ajmal, who returned here from Mumbai, said that he would lead a nine-member party delegation to New Delhi Thursday to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the issue.
He said the delegation will also meet Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and President Pranab Mukherjee.
“We are going to challenge the news channel which had telecast the news yesterday (Tuesday) quoting a ‘report’, in the court of law. I am questioning the authenticity of the report as there is no signature by any authority on the report which was being shown in the television news,” Ajmal said while producing a copy of the report based on which the news report was prepared.He contended that the content of the news report is very sensitive as it relates to national security. “Now I want to ask how can such a report which relates to the matter pertaining to national security come to the public?” he asked.
“I am going to New Delhi tomorrow to meet the prime minister, the home minister and the president of India. I am going to tell them to take action against me if there is any proof against me. I am ready to face any consequences if there is proof against me,” he said.
“The AIUDF is a democratic party which believes in secular ideologies. We have been against terrorism and we have never supported any terrorist activities,” he said adding that the news report has affected not only the party’s image but also his personal image as an individual as well as a businessman.
“It’s a conspiracy to damage the image of the AIUDF as well as my personal image. The AIUDF had been formed in 2005 and within this short period of ten years, we have 18 MLAs (legislators) and three Lok Sabha MPs. It is a conspiracy hatched by those who are scared of the increasing popularity of the AIUDF,” he said.
Meanwhile, Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, who is in New Delhi, has said that the state government does not have any report about any such links.
“I admit that there have been Jihadi activities in Assam. However, the state government does not have any evidence regarding the nexus between the AIUDF and the Jihadi forces as of now,” he said.
Assam may hand over Barpeta case to NIA: Gogoi
Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today acknowledged that jehadi activities were going on in the state but denied having any knowledge of the state’s main opposition party AIUDF allegedly having links with it.
The Chief Minister also said his government may hand over the probe of the Barpeta case, in which six persons were arrested in connection with the October 2 blast in West Bengal’s Burdwan town, to National Investigation Agency which is probing the Burdwan case.
“Activities are going on...ISI activities, jehadi activities are going on. There is no doubt about that. We do not deny that. But we do not have any evidence against AIUDF,” he told reporters here after a meeting with Home Minister Rajnath Singh.
Media reports in Assam have suggested that the All India United Democratic From, headed by perfume baron and Lok Sabha MP Badruddin Ajmal, was allegedly having links with Bangladeshi jihadi elements.
“I will find out. In fact, we will go against any such individual. Any anti-national activity, whether jehadi or terrorist activities. Our main aim is that those who indulged in anti-national activities, jehadi activities or terrorist activities, they should be brought to book, they should be punished. We are vigilant,” Gogoi said in reply to questions of alleged jehadi activities in Assam.
Asked about activities of Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), which were involved in a blast in West Bengal’s Burdwan, Gogoi said Assam Police got some evidence on the activities of JMB and on the basis of that six people were arrested in Barpeta.
“We are cooperating with NIA. On the very first day, we have welcomed NIA because it is easier for NIA to find out the origin as the case has links with Bangladesh, West Bengal and other states,” he said when asked whether the case will be handed over to NIA. Gogoi said his government was taking all possible steps against anti-national activities, including ISI presence.
“We are very much concerned. We are taking measures and we will not allow ISI and anybody to have a base. We will not compromise on national security and national integrity,” he said.
