Case registered against PFI workers in Mumbra for protesting outside mosque over Ram Navami violence
Highlight
- Case registered against 31 Popular Front of India workers in Mumbra area
- Shekani said the meeting was organized to highlight “atrocities” against Muslims.
- Abdul Mateen Shakani made controversial statement during the meeting
A case has been registered against several activists of Popular Front of India for holding an unauthorized protest in front of a mosque here in Thane district’s Mumbra area on Friday, a police official said. No arrest has been made here in the case registered under Section 188 of the IPC as well as provisions related to prohibitory orders. PFI office-bearer Abdul Mateen Shekani said the protests were organized to highlight the “atrocities” against Muslims following incidents of violence in some states on Ram Navami on April 10. Police registered a case against Shakani for holding a meeting without permission and allegedly making inflammatory speeches. ,
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Police said that on April 10, along with discussion on the issue of violence, permission was sought from PFI to discuss the issue of loudspeakers. However, the Mumbra police did not give permission. Even after this, the PFI instigated the people by holding a meeting.
Abdul Mateen Shekani made controversial remarks during the meeting. “If you come to remove our loudspeakers installed at mosques, our PFI members will guard it,” he said. Shakani made the remarks when he was attending Friday prayers in a Muslim-dominated area of Thane rural area adjoining Mumbai. Later he was addressing a public meeting.
He said that the states where Ram Navami processions have been attacked, including Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, are not good examples. “There is a lot of atrocities on Muslims in this country, some people want to spoil the atmosphere of Mumbra too,” he said.
Violence has been reported in some areas of Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Rajasthan. In Madhya Pradesh, the state government demolished the ‘illegal structures’ of people allegedly involved in the recent violence in Khargone.
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