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Indian Muslims seek justice for deadly 1993 riots

Other News Materials 26 October 2007 00:45 (UTC +04:00)

(Reuters) - Thousands of Muslims held a rally in India's financial capital on Thursday demanding justice for victims of communal riots that left hundreds dead in 1993 and led to the country's worst bombings in retaliation.

Justice for the victims of the bombings was delivered in August after 14 years, with the conviction of 100 people, mostly Muslims. But those responsible for the deadly riots have still to be brought to book.

The riots killed around 900 people, two thirds of them Muslims.

On Thursday, more than 20,000 Muslims, many of them victims of the riots, demanded that the recommendations of a judicial commission that investigated the carnage be implemented.

"You could not give them protection, you could not save them. At least give them justice," said Maulana Abdul Hamid Azhari, representing one of the many civil groups demanding justice for riot victims.

"Are 14 years not enough to deliver justice?"

The Mumbai riots followed the demolition of a 16th century mosque in northern India by Hindu zealots in December 1992. In retaliation, Muslim gangster Dawood Ibrahim ordered a string of bombings in the nation's financial capital, police say.

While a special court tried the blast accused, establishing the facts behind the riots was consigned to a commission of inquiry which, Muslims say, was a euphemism for official stonewalling.

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