By Faisal Fareed, TwoCircles.net,
Lucknow: With an eye on muslim votebank the Samajwadi Party (SP) on Tuesday raked up issue of Maulana Tauqir Raza’s arresting in Bareilly. Capitalising on it the party directed its muslim MLAs and leaders to raise the issue among their community.
Tauqir Raza, a maulana of Barelvi sect of muslims was arrested by Bareilly police on Monday for his inflammatory speeches during the Juloos-e-Mohammadi on March 2 instigating violence in the city. Raza heads the Ittehad Millat Council (IMC), an organisation of Barelvis with considerable following. His followers trace his lineage to Janab Imam Ahmed Raza commonly referred as ‘Aala Hazrat’ whose shrine is situated in Bareilly. The shrine is considered as main seat for Bareily sect of sunni muslims.
SP MLA Abbas Ali Zaidi stated that Maulana Tauqir Raza is reverred by whole muslim community. He told that the issue will be taken to roads and muslim clerics across the state will be roped in against this arresting. “The manner in which Maulana Raza was arrested while he was going to attend a peace committee meeting in Kotwali reflects anti muslim face of BSP government. Muslims will take to roads if Maulana Raza is not released by the police within 24 hours. We are contacting the ulemas (clerics) for their support in our protest,” said Zaidi.
Reacting to the situation, SP MLA, Shahid Manzoor said: “It is an effort on part of government to conceal their failure. Maulana Tauqir is a clergy commanding respect in the community. His arresting cannot be justified. It has exposed the BSP regime.”
Party’s state chief of minority wing Ataur Rehman who lives in Bareilly alleged that muslim relgious shrines are under attack by the BSP government. “It is an issue of ‘khanqahi’ (shrines) following among muslims. It is direct assault on muslim faith as Maulana Tauqir Raza is the spiritual leader of muslims. BSP government does not have audacity to arrest the mischief mongers but it has detained our clergy,” said Rehman.