By Faisal Fareed, TwoCircles.net,
Lucknow: Terming it as anti-Muslims, religious clerics of the community will launch a rath yatra against Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) during upcoming Assembly elections in UP.
Organized by Lucknow based Muslim youth’s organization, Hussaini Tigers, the rath yatra will include 54 ulemas who will tour the Muslim dominated areas in the state and appeal for defeating BSP candidates.
“We had tolerated for five years, now we will give a befitting reply to the BSP. The government has failed in protecting Muslim rights and their interests” said Chief of Hussaini Tigers, Shameel Shamsi.
Shamsi claimed that at the time of formation of BSP government in 2007, eminent Muslim clerics had met Chief Minister (CM) Mayawati and given a memorandum detailing the problems and issues pertaining to Muslims. “It is sad that during the whole tenure the government did not act on even one of the demands” said Shamsi.
He said that the major bone of contention being encroachment on waqf properties and harassment of Muslims. “The recent example is the police lathi-charge on Shia Muslims in Mankapur in Gonda during taziya procession on Sunday” he said.
Over the Muslim leaders associated with BSP, Shamsi said that they all are engaged in land grabbing and minting money and never bothered to address issues related to Muslim community.
Shamsi also informed that the rath yatra will commence from Moradabad on January 10, 2012. It will tour across the state during the seven phases of the elections. “It will have ulemas from all the sects of Muslims including Shias and Sunnis. We all are united for our mission against BSP” he claimed.