Nudged by Uddhav Thackeray, Pune police denies nod to MIM leader Assadudin Owaisi's rally

PUNE: After strong objection taken by Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray, Pune city police have declined permission to a rally organised by a group known as Muslim Arakshan Parishad, where MIM leader Assadudin Owaisi was to address his followers on Wednesday. The organisers have said that they will go ahead with the rally despite denial of permission by police.

The Congress-NCP government in Maharashtra had announced 4% reservation for the Maratha community and Muslims in education and government jobs just ahead of the assembly elections in the state. After coming to power the BJP-Shiv Sena government has announced reservation to Matathas but has decided not to extend it to Muslims.

Owaisi's Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) won two seats in Maharashtra assembly in the 2014 assembly polls and is now looking to expand its base. The party in cooperation with the organisation Muslim Arakshan Parishad has taken up the cause of reservation for Muslims in government jobs and education. Wednesday's rally has been organised to launch an agitation to demand reservation for Muslims.Some members of Muslim Arakshan Parishad including former justice BG Kolse-Patil announced in Pune on Monday that despite refusal of permission by city police, they will go ahead with the rally on Wednesday .

Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray said on Monday that his party will not allow Owaisi to hold any rally in Maharashtra on the issue of Muslim reservation. “Owaisi and his party are only spreading hatred against Hindus and that may cause tension among various communities. His rallies must be banned in Maharashtra“, Thackeray said in a statement issued on Monday.