The meeting concluded that there was no place for such harsh legislations in Gujarat where the police are already harassing the people in the guise of investigating terror acts.

Speakers at the meeting, including Shabnam Hashmi, Mallika Sarabhai, Digant Oza, Hanif Lakdawala, Sheba George and Dr Ram Puniani urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to ensure that the GUJCOC Bill is not given the presidential assent. The meeting also resolved to oppose the treatment meted out to Mohammed Yousuf Shaikh during investigations into the Ahmedabad serial blasts.

The speakers underlined the need to prevent the GUJCOC Bill from being enacted as a law. They said the law presumed people guilty even before evidences were filed to corroborate the charges.

The Gujarat United Christian Forum for Human Rights has, meanwhile, decided to take out a peace rally on September 2 to protest against the killings in Orissa in the wake of the murder of Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati.

A statement released by the Forum said while there is not a shred of evidence that Christians are involved in the assassination of Swami Saraswati, there is ample proof to show how Fascist and fundamentalist forces have been dividing Orissa and several parts of the country in the name of religion.