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Our Correspondent in Bombay
The Muslim League will give 10 persons accused of involvement in the Bombay serial blasts of March 1992 tickets to contest the forthcoming civic elections in the city.
The final list of the accused contestants will be released by September 15, according to Mohammad Farooq Azam, president of the Muslim League, Bombay region.
Azam said the accused persons were being given tickets as they have not yet been proved guilty in court.
He argued that when Lal Kishenchand Advani, Uma Bharati, Suresh 'Pappu' Kalani, the late Phoolan Devi, Arun Gawli and Madhukar Sarpotdar could be members of legislatures, why should the bomb blast accused be deprived of a chance to contest elections?
Azam is lobbying with the police to secure protection for the accused so that they can move freely and canvass for the elections.
He said the blast accused know the nitty-gritty of the Bombay Municipal Corporation and are eligible to contest the elections.
Political circles believe the Muslim League, with this provocative move, is trying to regain its footing in the community after the Samajwadi Party made deep inroads among Muslim voters over the last decade.
"The SP has failed to keep its promise of securing the release of TADA detainees and hence the Muslim League is being revived again to fight for the cause of Muslims," Azam asserted.
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