Pro-Palestine meeting in Kondhwa violates Covid norms; FIR against 25 persons

Corporator Haji Gafur Pathan (40), former corporator Rais Sundke (38), Haji Feroze Sheikh (42), husband of corporator Parvin Shaikh, and Maulana Qari Idris (72), president of Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind Pune, all residents of Kondhwa, are among those booked

The Kondhwa police have filed an FIR against 25 persons on Friday, for organising a meeting on May 18 under the aegis of the Kul Jamaat-e-Tanzim , an umbrella body of Muslim organisations, to discuss the Israel-Palestine conflict.

The Maharashtra state government has banned all religious and political gatherings in the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic. (Getty Images)

No arrests have been made.

The FIR has been registered under section 188, 269, 270 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and relevant sections of the Epidemic Diseases Act 1897, Maharashtra Police Act, Disaster Management Act and Maharashtra Covid-19 Regulations 2020.

Police constable Nizam Mughal of Kondhwa police station in his complaint stated that corporator Haji Gafur Pathan (40), former corporator Rais Sundke (38), Haji Feroze Sheikh (42), husband of corporator Parvin Shaikh, and Maulana Qari Idris (72), president of Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind Pune, all residents of Kondhwa, are among those booked

According to police, the meeting took place between 8.30pm and 9.15 pm on May 18 at KGN Hall next to Hotel RC Kitchen in Kausarbaug, Kondhwa. The Maharashtra state government has banned all religious and political gatherings in the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The FIR states: “The meeting was organised by Mujib Patel and Ilias Sheikh on behalf of Kul Jamaat-e-Tanjim. The meeting was organised to show solidarity with the people of Palestine and to condemn the Israeli attacks in Jerusalem and other areas. It was discussed that those present at the meeting should go to their nearest mosque to offer prayers for the victims of the attack. Also, all Muslims should stand behind the citizens of Palestine. Discussions were held to impose a boycott on as many Israeli items as possible. A memorandum was to be prepared in this regard. A total of 25 people were present.”

Cleric Qari Idrees in a statement said, “It was a general discussion where all prominent social workers, lawyers and thinkers of the Muslim community had gathered on the ongoing Israel aggression against Palestinians in Gaza. A separate meeting was held at the office of another community person on the Palestine issue before our meeting. How come the police came to know only about our meet? We have been unfairly targeted by vested interests .”