Ratlam: Protesting against alleged
police highhandedness during curfew period in two police
station areas here, Muslims in the city have decided not to
celebrate Eid.
Although the situation in the violence-hit areas is
fast returning to normal with the district administration
relaxing curfew from 7 am to 10 pm today, the decision has
put officials in a difficult situation.
"We are trying to convince the Muslim community to
celebrate Eid. The district collector is holding parleys with
community religious leaders on the issue," Ujjain Commissioner
T Dharmarao told PTI.
The administration is hopeful of persuading them not
to go ahead with their decision, he said.
Ratlam Collector Rajendra Sharma said he met `shahar
qazi` (city religious head) Moulana Khurshid and tried to
convince him not to go ahead with the decision, but to no
avail.
Sharma said he will meet the qazi again and request
him to reconsider the decision in the interest of restoring
communal harmony in the city.
The decision of not celebrating Eid was taken by the
qazi after a large number of community members complained to
him about alleged police excesses and registration of "false
cases" against innocent persons.
Communal tension had prevailed in Station Area and
Manak Chowk areas after a religious place was allegedly
defiled, prompting authorities to clamp curfew on September 4.
-PTI
