SDPI protests ’Ban’ on Dr Zakir Naik - Jan 1

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Jan 2, 2015 :  SDPI - Social Democratic Party of India on January 1 organised a well attended protest in front of the DC’s office here, against the ban on the entry of Islamic scholar Dr Zakir Naik into M’luru city. The protesters condemned the ruling Congress party in the state and the district administration, and tweeted that these were afraid of the right-wing outfits.

 

 

Addressing the gathering,  SDPI national chief secretary of Ilyas Mohammed Thumbay slammed the district administration and the Congress along with the RSS and Sangh Parivar, he said, there was section 144 in Moodbidri, yet the district administration permitted the Sangh Parivar outfits to march with swords, and because the leaders of the Sangh Parivar opposed Dr Zakir Naik’s visit to Mangaluru, the district police banned his entry. When SDPI party wanted to hold awareness programmes in the district against communal terrorism permission was refused. The district administration and the district in-charge minister fear the right-wing outfits it seems.

Dr Zakir Naik was supposed to participate in a programme organized by  SKSM - South Karnataka Salafi Movementon January 3. Days before the event, Mangaluru city police commissioner S Murugan issued a ban order on Dr Naik’s entry, following protests against his visit from various quarters. The programme has now been postponed by two months.

The authority has taken this decision when MLC Ganesh Karnik himself had accepted the fact that 60 percent of the police personnel are from the RSS. If the law and order has to be maintained in the district, the police department has to be cleansed.

Slamming the BJP-led union government, he said that people are being killed in place of of cows. The MPs of the government are making  explosive accusations  against the minority. Yet PM - Prime Minister keeping a shut trap - why ? He is also a leader of one community. The government’s motto is not ’Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas’ but ’Sabka Sath Sabse Nafrath’."

Convener of Dalit Sangharsha Samithi-Puttur, Ananda Mitthabail said, that the district administration needs to submit an affidavit stating they cannot give police protection to SDPIs programme and that SDPI is capable of holding the program without police protection. The party workers of SDPI are the ones to work in a secular way, contrary to the BJP and the Congress. In 15 to 20 years we might see a Prime Minister from SDPI in the country as we are the only party adhering to the Constitution.

State secretary of SDPI Abdul Latif Puttur said,  a campaign to spread awareness against communal terrorism was to be held . Today I call upon all the people not to bow your heads before the communalists. Our party workers should not bow their heads to the district in-charge minister nor the police. It is time to abolish communal terrorism by taking to the streets.

Former mayor K Ashraf, SDPI state secretaries Alphonso Franco, Akram Hasan, district president Haneef Khan Kodaje, vice-president Ataullah, corporator Aziz Krishnapura among others  were seen at the protest.