New Delhi: A major rally here by Jamaat-e-Islami Hind to highlight pressing social and economic issues in the country had to be put off after Delhi Police withdrew permission for the event, apparently due to US President Barack Obama`s visit to the capital.
The prominent Muslim organisation, that was planning
to bring in over 8,000 of its delegates to the rally from Ram
Lila ground to Jantar Mantar tomorrow, said the permission was
withdrawn at the last minute despite the fact that it had been
granted a month in advance.
The rally was supposed to bring together a number of
speakers including Maulana Arshad Madani, the president of
Jamiat-e-Ulema Hind and former MP Syed Shahabuddin, among
others.
The Jamaat said Delhi Police had withdrawn the
permission citing the fact that the procession was to he held
in a `VIP security zone`, without identifying the VIP.
"But there is little doubt that it is the US President
for whose visit our fundamental right has been compromised,"
said JIH secretary general Nusrat Ali.
The rally on the theme `Save the country from slavery,
unrest and poverty`, the Jamaat members said, was in no way
related to Obama`s visit though its was a coincidence that one
of its key theme was raising a voice against
`neo-imperialism`.
"Our country is moving in the direction of becoming a
slave of the country which Obama leads as the President. We
wanted to oppose this onslaught on neo-imperialism, but the
government apparently doesn`t want us to do so," he said.
The organisation said the rally had been planned
months in advance and the permission for it had been sought at
least 3 months back.
"Though last month the police cleared the rally, it
was withdrawn yesterday... On this gross violation of human
rights, we register our strong protest," he said.
The organisation now plans to hold a public meeting at
Jamia Nagar tomorrow to protest the government`s economic
policies that are "increasing the divide between rich and
poor".
PTI
