Lucknow:
Just ahead of the chief ministers' conference, Uttar Pradesh government's commitment to give justice to "falsely implicated" terror suspects kicked up a storm. The state government sought legal opinion to withdraw terror cases against two Muslim youths from Azamgarh - Tariq Kazmi and Khalid Mujahid (alleged members of Harkat-ul-Jehad al-Islami or HuJI) - who have been charged in the November 23, 2007 serial blasts case in Faizabad and Lucknow court premises.
The move was based on ruling Samajwadi Party's promises made in his party's election manifesto. But Home Minister P Chidambaram is worried.
"What is a cause of worry, however, is that, in practically every case, a small section of the people springs to the support of persons who are detained for interrogation or arrested and charged. There is no apparent reason for such support other than the affinity of religion or sect. This is a dangerous trend and makes the task of the investigating agencies more difficult. I would, therefore, request you to join me in appealing to the people, and to the media, to observe caution and restraint and place faith in the integrity and impartiality of the investigation," Mr Chidambaram said.
But the Samajwadi Party is trying to make the terror tag of Azamgarh a political issue.
"Why has Mayawati not arrested me and my fellow partymen as sympathisers of terrorists? I want to ask her why she has not arrested us? And if she does not arrest us, then she should ask for forgiveness before everyone, that how did you pronounce these children from Sanjarpur as terrorists, and how did you accuse Mulayam Singh of giving them protection," said SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav.
The SP's recent return to absolute power in Uttar Pradesh was defined by the return of the Muslim vote into the party fold - a vote that needs priority consolidation to ensure it remains the party's core strength.
Now the Law Department has summoned the entire evidence against Tariq and Khalid who have been chargesheeted for their involvement in the serial blasts case.
But even those defending these terror suspects argue that charges should only be dropped on ground of poor evidence and not political compulsions.
"If there is politics behind this review, then it is wrong. But yes, if no evidence has prompted this then I agree with this. And as a lawyer I have always maintained that there has been no credible evidence against my clients," said Mohomman Shoaib, the counsel for the Azamgarh boys.
The Congress' Digvijaya Singh too did his bit of political lip service by promising justice and a fair trial for the Azamgarh boys accused in terror strikes in Delhi and Azamgarh - a controversial promise that was abandoned in the run up to the elections.
But the obvious questions are: Whether political rhetoric and posturing around cases alter the course of terror investigations? And if that does happen then are we setting a dangerous precedent?