As of now, it is difficult for an accused to get a lawyer to defend him as the state's Bar Associations have decided to boycott terror suspects in the wake of serial blasts in Faizabad, Varanasi and Lucknow court premises.

The legal wing of "Atankwad Virodhi Andolan" (AVA), set up by various Muslim organisations, has decided to convene a meeting of advocates of the community on March 16 to discuss the issue.

"We want to ensure the rule of law. Our concern is over basic human rights,” Zafaryab Jilani, who heads the legal wing of AVA, told The Indian Express.

“In the name of terrorism, community members are becoming victims of police atrocities. This is our concern. We will also develop a system to get information about individuals within the community who are treading a wrong path,” said AVA convenor Khalid Rashid Firangi Mahali.

The AVA came into existence after some prominent Muslim leaders -- including Rabey Nadwi, chairman of All India Muslim Personal Law Board, Abdur Rahim Qureshi, assistant general secretary of AIMPLB, Jalaluddin Omri, national president of Jamaat Islami, Salim Quashmi, principal of Dar ul Uloom, Dr Manzoor Aalam, general secretary of All India Milli Council and Dr Shakil Samdani, senior reader, AMU -- met and discussed the problems members of the community were facing.

The AVA has a 12-member executive committee and a 35-member working committee. The working committee has six members who are practicing lawyers.

Jilani, who has taken up the Babri Masjid demolition case, said the meeting will decide how to provide legal aid to terror suspects. Besides Lucknow and Allahabad, lawyers of Azamgarh, Kanpur, Gorakhpur, Varanasi, Meerut and Faizabad will attend the meeting.”In these places, the problem is serious. Sadly, we can't ensure representation of every district at the meeting. In the first phase, we will sit with lawyers who belong to our community. Later, we will invite non-Muslim advocates and share our problems with them,” he added.

Citing the problems of terror suspects, Jilani said the family members of Tariq and Khalid, accused in the November 23 blasts, had met them. “I saw the documents. I am convinced that they were not arrested from Barabanki as claimed by the police. But I don't know what role they have played,” he said.

Asked how they will select terror cases involving innocents, Jilani admitted it is a difficult task. “But the police theory must be tested before the court of law. Won't there be any rule of law for the Muslims?”

The family of one Kaushar, who is in jail in connection with the attack on the CRPF's Rampur Centre on New Year, is facing problems too.

“I suggested that they talk to Kaushar and collect his plea regarding his arrest. If he is innocent, he must be given legal aid,” he added.