Prophet row: Mumbai police meets Ulamas, urge not to participate in protests after prayers on Friday
India Today
After the meeting, the ACP said that the Ulamas have promised co-operation. The police have asked them to urge the community members not to participate in the protest.
Senior officials of Mumbai police held a meeting with Ulamas (Muslim scholars who are recognized as having specialist knowledge of Islamic sacred law and theology) and urged them not to participate in a protest scheduled this Friday against former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma.
Protests after Friday prayers last week witnessed violence in different parts of the country. Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi chief and grandson of Babasaheb Ambedkar, Prakash Ambedkar, announced a massive agitation in Mumbai on June 17 (after Friday prayers) against the remarks made by Nupur Sharma on Prophet.
Additional Commissioners of Police Dilip Sawant (south region), Dnyanesh Chavan (central region) and DCP zone 3 Yogesh Gupta met Ulamas at Bilal masjid near Nagpada. After the meeting, Maulana Sayed Moinuddin Ashraf (Moin Miya) said that they have agreed with the police not to participate in the protest.
"We have seen in the past that protests turned violent. Hence, we will refrain from participating in any such protest. We will urge Prakash Ambedkar to call off the protest. He has always supported the Muslim community. We have asked people to take legal action against Nupur Sharma like filing a police complaint,” said Moin Miya.
Ulamas also demanded that Nupur Sharma should be arrested for her remarks against Prophet Mohammed. "I have filed a complaint against Nupur Sharma. She has been summoned in various cases. We demand her arrest," said Maulana Saeed Noorie of Raza Academy.
The police have clarified that they have not given permission to the protest planned by BVA. "We have urged Ulamas not to participate in the protest. We have asked them to urge the community members not to participate in the protest. They have promised co-operation," said Additional Police Commissioner Dnyanesh Chavan.
