1-yr jail for corporator who opposed tribute to Vajpayee

Mumbai, August 23

Syed Mateen Syed Rashid, 32, a corporator representing the All-India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) in the Aurangabad civic body in Maharashtra who opposed paying tribute to late PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee in the House last week has been sent to preventive detention for a year.

According to the Aurangabad police, provisions under the stringent Maharashtra Prevention of Dangerous Activities of Slumlords, Bootleggers, Drug-Offenders and Dangerous Persons (MPDA) Act were used against Rashid.

“Provisions of the MPDA were applied to Syed Mateen as there is a danger of him creating communal tension in Aurangabad,” senior Inspector DS Shingare said. During the general body meeting of the Aurangabad Municipal Corporation on August 17, Mateen opposed the resolution to pay tribute to Vajpayee. This angered the corporators from the BJP and the Shiv Sena who beat him up. Footage of the attack on Mateen shared on social media showed some BJP corporators punching and kicking him.

Later, Mateen was arrested under different sections, including those pertaining to promoting enmity among people on grounds of religion, race, language, obscene acts in public, provoking riots etc.

He was sent to jail, but was granted bail on Tuesday. However, before his release from the jail, the state government slapped provisions of MPDA on Mateen. He continues to be in custody. — TNS