There have been innumerous times when the police would deliberately or inadvertently charge an innocent but he is later acquitted by the judiciary. There has been a customary investigation procedure to look out for clues, when someone is charged. And when it comes to acts of terrorism, it is all but natural to peep deep within the family and possessions of the suspect. The traces thus acquired are used to further probe the case and those involved in it.
Thus, it was quite inevitable for the Australian Govt to charge Dr Haneef since his SIM card was found in the house of the Glasgow airport blast accused. The trial was framed and when the attorney failed to prove anything, he was simply let go. It is as simple as that. Of course revoking his visa has proved to be a bone of contention now. But even that can have a very amicable excuse. All those visa applicants must be quite aware of the reality that any criminal association, or even a false FIR can make it cumbersome to obtain a visa on moral grounds. Anyone implicated in the terror attacks in India, even when acquitted, wont be able to get work visa in any of the developed nations especially after 9/11 attacks. Though it is unethical, but when the security matters, it matters above a lot of things.
So what is really extra ordinary about Dr Haneef? Why has there been such a hullabaloo about his case? Why is he being welcomed in the nation as if he has brought our single haul of an Olympic bronze medal? Has he just been back from a space mission or after winning a Nobel Prize for his research in medicine? He hasn’t done anything for the under privileged either! He went to Australia, no doubt, for big money; got implicated for his kin’s deed, won a legal battle and is back. He studied in India and worked for Australians when there already is a shortage of doctors back home! The nation backed him diplomatically so stalwartly that, had we done the same in ’93 Mumbai blasts, we would have been able to extradite probably Dawood or Tiger Memon!
Has any one soldier or even a battalion, any one sportsman or even our cricket team ever been on front page for full 15 days at a stretch in esteemed Indian newspapers? I doubt even Gujarat earthquakes or Tsunami was given such a great media coverage.
I feel may be Dr Haneef was brought to books because of his religion, but I am pretty sure, he has been projected as a national celebrity on the very same rationale. I read yesterday, “ The Muslim doctor on his way back home…” Is it really important that he is a Muslim; what if he had been a Hindu or a Christian? I have serious apprehensions as to he might be felicitated like someone who has brought the homeland laurels just by proving his innocence.
Has he paved the way for all the Muslims who are always stared with uncertainity? “Even a Muslim can be innocent!” or, “Not all Muslims are terrorist!” Is it what media wants to bring into limelight? Or government wants to emphasize its secular credentials that they protected a Muslim?
Well, the conclusions can be invariably varied but for now the doctor’s family is as elated as Tusshar Kapoor would get after a super hit!
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