By TwoCircles.net Staff Correspondent,
Kozhikode: The District Collector of Kozhikode banned the Popular Front of India’s Freedom Parade to be held at Kuttiadi on Independence Day. The PFI’s rally to be held on Friday in protest against alleged Muslim-hunt of the government also has been reportedly banned.
Collector Dr PB Saleem issued an order banning all activities related to the Freedom Parade till August 15. The ban was issued reportedly on fear of communal tension and law and order problems. The decision was taken as per the report of the Rural SP Neeraj Kumar Gupta.
The police also reportedly refused to give permission for the public meeting and rally to be held in Kozhikode on Friday due to intelligence reports that it might lead to problems. The PFI had planned to organize the programme at 5 pm on Friday in protest against the Muslim hunt by the government, police, political parties and certain media. As the Freedom Parade was banned in several places, a large number of people are supposed to turn up at the public meeting and rally. This has reportedly prompted the police to refuse permission. The police have informed the PFI of the decision but it is not yet known whether the PFI has called off the programme or not, according to reports.
The Freedom Parade has been banned in Aluva, Erattupetta in Kottayam and Payyannur in Kannur already by the respective District Collectors on grounds of fear of law and order problems as well as communal tension. The parade was to be held this year in seven places. Since it has been banned in four places already, it could be held in Kottarakkara, Pattambi and Kondotty only. The PFI has been organizing the Parade in different towns in the state for the past seven years. It was being held in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka also for the last two years. The recent move of banning the parade has come as a result of suspected involvement of certain PFI activists in the attack on a controversial professor in Ernakulam.