The Jamiat-Ulema-i-Hind (JUIH) has rejected controversial Islamic cleric Maulana Tauqeer Raza’s call for anti-Nupur Sharma protests on Sunday, June 19. According to the Times of India, senior members of the JUIH have passed a resolution to not engage in such protests, especially on Friday.
The publication quoted Muzaffarnagar district president of JUIH, Maulana Muhammed Nazar as saying, “Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind chief Maulana Arshad Madni has clearly stated that no protest will be held after the Friday namaz. Jamiat has taken the issue to the Supreme Court and the decision of the court will be accepted.” On the subject of the call for protests on Sunday by Maulana Tauqeer Raza, he said, “We held a meeting because Maulana Raza called for protests. We have nothing to do with him and would not heed to his call for protest.”
Readers would recall that Maulana Raza, the chief of the Ittehad-e-Millat Council, had first called for a protest on Friday, June 17 in Bareli, but suspended it in light of the growing notoriety of Friday protests and how it impacted the image of the entire Muslim community. But that did not stop him from rescheduling the protest for Sunday, June 19.
He told reporters, “The people who were coming to defend the dignity of the Prophet on Friday, will come for the protest on Sunday with the same enthusiasm.” But perhaps in an attempt to temper down his words retroactively he said, “I appeal to protesters to remain peaceful, not engage in any violence, and most of all, respect the law. Please cooperate with the police.”
Meanwhile, in face of mounting pressure from various Muslim socio-cultural organisations and peace committees, Prakash Ambedkar announced that he had called off the Aman March after speaking with Maharashtra Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil and Mumbai Police Commissioner Sanjay Pandey. The march was to have taken place on June 17, but Ambedkar made the cancellation announcement on the night of June 16.
“Despite a huge support to the protest, a section of people had appealed to the Home Minister and the Police Commissioner not to give permission for the protest march due to certain apprehensions,” said Ambedkar at a late evening press conference. Ambedkar was referring to appeals by several Muslim groups such as Raza Academy and the Mumbai Aman Committee (MAC) who feared that just as has been seen in protests in Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and West Bengal, some miscreants might infiltrate a peaceful protest and then turn it violent. The groups had therefore urged Ambedkar to reconsider his decision to hold the protest march.
“The Home Minister has assured me of bringing about a law to criminalise communal statements. The Police Commissioner has also assured me that all necessary procedures are being carried out to arrest Nupur Sharma and Navin Jindal,” informed Ambedkar, concluding, “We have therefore decided to cancel the Aman March.”
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Prakash Ambedkar calls off Aman March
What does Prakash Ambedkar hope to achieve by organising anti-Nupur Sharma protests?