A special court hearing cases under MCOCA on Monday granted permission to prisoners to observe Ramzan in jail.
Over 50 accused, charged with being part of terror modules or taking part in bomb blasts, had filed an application in the court and sought permission to observe roza (fast) in jail.
The application was moved by Jamiat Ulama-e-Maharashtra, an NGO providing free legal aid to the accused. Jamiat, on behalf the accused, told the court that Ramzan is a holy month and the timings for Sehri (morning meal) and Iftar (breaking fast after sunset) were different from the timings of the jail. “Hence, the jail authorities may be instructed to provide them food at Sehri and Iftar time,” the NGO stated. The special MCOCA court of Judge Y.D. Shinde asked the jail authorities to file their say and after hearing them, it granted permission to the accused to observe fast in jails.
The applicants also stated that they would require dates, fruits, juices, sheerkurma, chicken and other fried items for breaking their fast.
It said that the families of the accused would bring these items to the jail or send tiffin boxes. The court has asked them to submit details of persons who would be transporting food, said advocate Shahid Nadeem Ansari, who is also representing the blasts accused. There are over 50 inmates in various prisons who will be getting homemade food during Ramzan, he added.
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Thackeray backs Modi’s remarks
Mumbai, July 15: Shiv Sena, a constituent of BJP-led NDA, on Monday defended Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi’s “Hindu nationalist” remark, saying JD(U)’s decision to snap ties with the party was “wrong”. “Modi made no mistake by saying that he is a Hindu. It was wrong on the part of Bihar CM Nitish Kumar to exit NDA on a secular stand after Modi’s elevation in BJP,” said Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray. “Is it a crime to say that you are a Hindu? Since when has it become wrong in this country to say that you are Hindu?” Mr Thackeray said. Mr Modi had termed himself a “Hindu nationalist” in an interview earlier.
Taking potshots at Congress over the food security programme, Mr Thackeray said “What prompted Congress to implement this scheme now? Last year, when foodgrains were rotting in godowns, the SC had directed the government to distribute them among poor. However, the government paid no heed to the court’s directive.” — PTI