In a powerful demonstration, thousands of Muslims in India, led by AIMIM leader Imtiaz Jaleel, organized a massive protest demanding the arrest of BJP leader Nitesh Rane and Hindu preacher Ramgiri Maharaj. The protest was triggered by Maharaj’s blasphemous remarks against Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him), where he publicly mocked and insulted the Prophet, fueling outrage among the Muslim community. Despite multiple complaints, the Indian government under Narendra Modi has refused to take action, intensifying the grievances. The rally, dubbed the ‘Tiranga Samvidhan Rally’, gathered support from various political and social groups, including activists from the Dalit and Maratha communities.
The protesters, driving in hundreds of vehicles, attempted to march towards Mumbai from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar but were blocked by the police at Mulund toll plaza. Over 3,000 police officers were deployed to prevent the rally from entering Mumbai, leading to the peaceful dispersal of the crowd after delivering their demands to government officials. Jaleel, however, condemned the government’s move, accusing it of “dirty politics,” and lamented the lack of action against the hate speeches. He stressed that this protest was not only for justice but also to uphold the pride and cultural heritage of Maharashtra, invoking the names of historical figures like Phule, Shahu Maharaj, Ambedkar, and Shivaji Maharaj.
Jaleel emphasised that the state government had failed to take appropriate action despite numerous complaints against both. He said he planned to present a physical copy of the Constitution to Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and his deputy Devendra Fadnavis as a reminder of their duty to uphold law and order in the region.
However, as the protestors marched to Mulund Check Naka which is a key entry point of the gateway to Mumbai city on Monday night, they were barred by police and were not allowed to enter the city. The police installed barricades and deployed over 3,000 cops to manage the situation.
Joint Commissioner of Police (law and order) Satyanarayan Choudhary, who was at the spot monitoring the situation, confirmed the crowd left Monday night after handing over their letter to govt representatives. Close to 2,000 vehicles were part of the protest, an officer said. He added that the rally was also joined by vehicles comprising activists from the Dalit and Maratha communities.
The protesters dispersed peacefully after delivering their representation to the divisional collector and other officials.
Subsequently, Jaleel expressed his disappointment and described the police action as “dirty politics” by the ruling government. He said it was not merely a protest for justice but for the identity of Maharashtra, its pride, and its cultural heritage, invoking historical figures like Phule, Shahu Maharaj, Ambedkar, and Shivaji Maharaj.
