Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday hit out at the India faction over its efforts to seek bail for those who raised slogans of cutting the “chicken neck corridor”, saying their efforts failed as the Supreme Court rejected bail pleas and such intentions against India will never succeed.
Addressing a gathering of party workers in Bagdogra, Amit Shah said, “Some people in Delhi raised slogans that they will cut the Chicken Neck Corridor. How will you cut it? Is this your father’s land? This is India’s land, and no one will be able to touch it. Delhi Police arrested him and sent him to jail. Indi Alliance members were trying for his release. Their MPs even went to the Supreme Court and lobbied for him, but ultimately truth prevailed.” The Supreme Court also rejected his bail plea, and his intentions will never succeed.”
The Siliguri Corridor, also known as “Chicken Neck”, is a narrow (20–22 km wide) strip of land located in West Bengal, India. The corridor serves as the only land bridge connecting mainland India with its eight northeastern states. Shah’s comments come in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision in which it had rejected the bail plea of Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam in the 2020 Delhi riots conspiracy case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
However, the court granted bail to five other co-accused – Gulfisha Fatima, Meeran Haider, Shifa Ur Rehman, Mohammed Saleem Khan and Shadab Ahmed. The court noted that Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam are in a “qualitatively different position” both in the prosecution case and in the evidence.
It said that their role in the alleged crimes related to these two was “central”, although their imprisonment is still continuing and prolonged, but it does not violate the constitutional mandate or void the statutory ban under the laws. Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam and others will be charged in January under stringent provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in the February 2020 Delhi riots case. Was arrested in 2020.
