Dukhtaran-e-MIllat on Friday said that a court in Delhi has extended the judicial remand of the party chairperson, Syedah Aasiyeh Andrabi, party general secretary, Nahida Nasreen and press secretary, Sofi Fehmeeda upto September 7 next month.
The trio, remanded to 24 day judicial custody last month, was supposed to be taken to court for hearing as the remand ended today. “Instead of taking the party leaders to the court, the jail authorities at Tihar told them that their hearing will be held via video conferencing. Hearing was held at 3 PM toady in which the judicial remand was extended upto September 7,” party spokesperson, Rifat Fatima, said in a statement. She said that the party leaders apprised the lady judge about the ill-treatment meted out to them inside the Tihar jail.
“ The judge has asked the prosecutor to file a report in this regard on August 16,” Rifat said. She said that the judge also took strong note of the intimidation jail authorities put the women leaders through. She said that it was sheer oppression that these women leaders were being treated as criminals.
“ They are separately put in confinement, medicines are denied to ailing Baaji Sahiba while as food is being provided to them in polythene bags,” she said. Meanwhile, Rifat strongly reacted to the ill-treatment of the trio inside the Tihar Jail. Relatives, who met Asiya Andrabi and Nahida Nasreen, on Thursday in Tihar Jail, said that they are being subjected to worst treatment inside the jail. “They are being provided food through locked iron bar gates and not allowed to move out of the solitary confinement,” the relatives said. They said that the food is served in polythene bags instead of plastic plates and the food is of worst quality.
“Even medicine prescribed to Andrabi Sahiba are being denied to her,” they had said. The relatives had expressed serious concern over the treatment meted out to the trio, informed Rifat. She said that the so-called “largest democracy” is treating the women political prisoners as if they were “notorious criminals”. “Baaji Sahiba’ s life is an open book. She is being treated like a murderer.
We fail to understand the purpose of not taking her to court and holding the trial on video conferencing. Is she a dreaded criminal? Why is the jail authorities so scared?” she questioned. She said that male prisoners fear the treatment these DeM leaders are given. She further urged the HR Organization especially Amnesty International to look into the matter and take action in this regard.
“ The HR bodies must take a strong note of how an critically ill woman along with her associates are being meted out worst treatment,” she added. Rifat also castigated the Indian authorities for discreetly shifting the trio from the Mandoli jail to notorious Tihar jail. “Baaji Sahiba is suffering from life threatening ailments and not even a single medicine is being provided to her.”
“We appeal the HR organization to play their effective role in this regard and save the women leaders from such an oppression,” she said. She said that the family of Baaji Sahiba is in compete shattered. “ Her children will spend yet another Eid without their parents. It is an ultimate tragedy,” she added. Rifat also appealed people and the Imaams to hold special payers for the immediate release and steadfastness of the incarcerated party leadership.