By RINA
Moradabad: Last night the constables of Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC), para-military force of UP, lathicharged the Muslims assembled at the Dargah Shah Badruddin to say Taraweeh prayers.
Around one and a half dozen of the faithful were injured in this lathicharge by the Provincial Armed Constabulary. The condition of the four of the injured is stated to be serious. The respected figures of the city worked with acumen and intelligence as well as the patience of the Muslim community prevented the outbreak of any large-scale violence in the city. However, there are intense anti-Provincial Armed Constabulary sentiments going in the air. The police patrol has also been increased.
According to the details available with the Rabita Islamic News Agency the Commandant of the 23rd Provincial Armed Constabulary Battalion stopped the Muslims from entering the Dargah Shah Badruddin located inside the training camp for saying taraweeh prayers. The Commandant said that only those locals would be permitted to say the prayers whose names are registered with Provincial Armed Constabulary. The Muslims faithfuls tried to ascertain to the Commandant that all of them were locals, but, the Commandant did not heed to them. In the meanwhile, the time for taraweeh started ticking away. This led to the protest by the Muslims faithfuls. At this the constables of the Provincial Armed Constabulary indiscriminately lathicharged the Muslims in which around eighteen Muslims were injured, four of them seriously.
The news spread in the city like a wildfire. The Muslims took to the street and shouted anti-Provincial Armed Constabulary slogans. However, the city Imam Maulana Qari Hafiz Syed Masoom Ali and Mayor S.T. Hasan, Corporator Asad Kamal and others reached the spot and pacified the protestors and brought the situation under control. Others who participated in this noble exercise included Mr. Mustafa Ali, Mr. Mansoor Iqbal, Mr. Shoeb Pasha, Mr. Saleem Babri, Mr. Syed Aftab, Mr. Rais Khan, Mr. Hadi Hasan Ansari etc.
Although regular prayers are being held at the Dargah Shah Badruddin attached to the provincial armed constabulary camp. After a while an agreement was affected between the respected citizens of the city and the officials of the provincial armed constabulary that the taraweeh shall be arranged in the Dargah Shah Badruddin.
This incident has alerted the respected citizens of the city and they are keeping a watchful eye on any untoward incident that may vitiate the peaceful atmosphere. The District Magistrate has appealed the people to assist in maintaining peace and not to heed to the rumours. The Muslim organisations are demanding legal action against the culprits.
Moradabad Muslims have an uneasy relationship with PAC because of the history of anti-Muslim violence led by PAC in 1980 in which about 2000 people were killed.