The trial court last week acquitted all 16 Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) personnel, a reserve police force of UP Government, accused of abducting and killing 42 members of a minority community in Hashimpura, Meerut district on May 22, 1987, "giving them benefit of doubt for want of evidence".
"It is a grave miscarriage of justice. Justice delayed is justice denied. The judgement itself says the investigation was botched up. So many people were picked up and killed. These were killings done by the state itself, but perpetrators have not been punished," AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi said.
It was the moral responsibility of Congress, BJP and BSP (parties that ruled UP at different times)) to ensure that justice is done to the victims of the massacre, he said.
To a query on firebrand BJP MP Yogi Adityanath's visit to the city today for a meet, Owaisi said "a single person cannot be a threat to a country or a state."
"My personal view is that no one should be banned (from entering a city or addressing public meets). And if anyone commits a wrong (by giving hate speech), then a case should be filed (against such person).