‘We did not expect protest to get violent’
Alhaj Mohammed Saeed Noori, president of Raza Academy — one of the alleged organisers of Saturday’s protest in Azad Maidan — on Friday claimed that he had never expected such a huge response to the protest.
Mr Noori’s statement was recorded by the crime branch on Friday.
Speaking to The Asian Age, Mr Noori said that in June this year, the body had staged a protest in Azad Maidan to agitate against the anti-Islamic teachings in the American Army’s induction course. While the issue was a more sensitive one, the protest got a lukewarm response with only 1,500 to 2,000 protesters attending the agitation, Mr Noori said.
Hence, Mr Noori claimed that he wasn’t expecting a huge crowd at Saturday’s gathering either. “We never asked the protesters to get violent; we did not even expect thousands of people to come,” he said.
Mr Noori also claimed that his body had not organised the protest. “Raza Academy had not organised the protest. It was organised by a Kurla-based organisation called Madina-tul-ilm. We had given our support to the protest. I told the crime branch that we only asked our ulemas to give speeches at the event,” Mr Noori said.
Crime branch officers through Friday recorded Mr Noori’s statement. The agency has also sent summons to the other 16 persons who were present on the dais.
In another development, Salim Chaukiya (24), who was arrested on Thursday for taking part in the riots and wielding a rifle stolen from the police, was produced before the court and later remanded to police custody till August 24.
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MNS TO stage MORCHA ON TUEs. against azad maidan riots
Mumbai, Aug. 17: MNS chief Raj Thackeray on Friday threatened to stage a morcha at Girgaum Chowpatty on August 21 to protest against Saturday’s violence in south Mumbai. “We will stage a morcha at Girgaum Chowpatty. I also appeal to the police to participate, as they are psychologically demoralised,” Mr Thackeray said, referring to the treatment meted out to constables while they were trying to quell the violence.
The MNS chief has also demanded the resignation of Maharashtra home minister R.R. Patil and Mumbai police commissioner Arup Patnaik for “failing to handle” the violence.
“Mr Patil and the Mumbai police commissioner should resign, as they have failed to handle the situation,” he said, adding, “After the 26/11 terror attacks (in Mumbai), Mr Patil had been unseated... If he does not understand the home department, why is he kept there? Deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar should take over the charge instead.”
— PTI
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