Muslims take to streets

MUSLIMS took to streets in protest against the Danish cartoonist for lampooning the Prophet, here on Sunday. They took out 25 processions from their respective areas, including Chamanganj, Beconganj, Nai Sadak, Rizvi Road, Dadamia-ka-Hata and Dalelpurwa, gathered at Dr Beri Crossing and burnt effigies of the Danish Prime Minister and the US President George Bush. The agitation was held outside Madarsa Irshadia Hayatul Islam, Talaqmahal.

MUSLIMS took to streets in protest against the Danish cartoonist for lampooning the Prophet, here on Sunday.

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They took out 25 processions from their respective areas, including Chamanganj, Beconganj, Nai Sadak, Rizvi Road, Dadamia-ka-Hata and Dalelpurwa, gathered at Dr Beri Crossing and burnt effigies of the Danish Prime Minister and the US President George Bush. The agitation was held outside Madarsa Irshadia Hayatul Islam, Talaqmahal.

All commercial establishments and schools in Muslim-dominated areas were closed. ADM (City) Abrar Ahmad, with a large contingent of police force, was present on the occasion.

The processions culminated into a meeting at Dr Beri crossing where prominent Muslim leaders, including Shahar Quazi Kari Abdus Sami, Maulana Qamar Shahjahanpuri, Maulana Taquir Raza, Mufti Abdul Irfan and Fazlur-ur- Rehman from Lucknow and Maulana Shahidi, addressed the gathering.

Addressing the gathering, Fazlur-ur- Rehman urged the agitators to launch a fight to the finish against the western countries and raised the issue of compensation to the victims of 1984 anti-Sikh riots in New Delhi.

“Prime Minister Manmohan Singh not only ensured compensation to victims of 1984 anti-Sikh riots in New Delhi but also apologised for the atrocities committed on the members of the Sikh community,” Rehman said. But no such compensation had ever been given to any Muslim riot victims, added Rehman.
He also exhorted Hindus to register their protest against the depiction of Hindu Gods and Goddesses on tissue papers in Europe.

The procession, which started from the college at Dalelpurwa, was joined by students of six other colleges and Madrasas. The agitators were carrying placards with slogans against the Danish prime minister and demanded cancellation of US President George Bush’s visit to India.

Meandering through several areas of the city, the procession terminated at the college. Office-bearers of several social organisations and a large contingent of police force were present to ward off any untoward situation.

A memorandum addressed to the Prime Minister was handed over to Ahmad.