Cleric Raza, his supporters to court arrest, says his aide

BAREILLY: Daring the administration to arrest him after an FIR was lodged against him in Sambhal for allegedly making derogatory remarks against PM Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah, cleric Maulana Tauqeer Raza has decided to court arrest with his supporters.

Giving this information, Nafees Khan, the spokesperson of Ittehad-e-Millat Council (IMC) founded by Maulana Tauqir Raza, said, “Maulana Tauqir has been booked for using foul language against leaders holding constitutional posts. But no FIR is lodged against people who pass objectionable remarks against Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and women silently protesting against Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).”

Accusing the law enforcement agencies of adopting double standards, Khan said the FIR against the cleric was an attempt to suppress “dissent and their protest against CAA, National Register of Citizens and the proposed National Population Register (NPR).

“But we are not afraid of such tactics and are ready to face more FIRs. We are not against the police or the administration but we are protesting against the government’s policy. Maulana Raza is currently visiting Hyderabad and Bihar. When he gets back (to Bareilly), he and his supporters will surrender en masse before Sambhal police,” he said.

The decision to surrender, he said, was taken at a meeting of the IMC members here on Thursday.

On February 17, Sambhal police had registered a case against Maulana Tauqir Raza for calling prime minister Narendra Modi and home minister Amit Shah a “terrorist” while addressing anti-CAA protesters sitting on a dharna in Pakkabagh locality of Sambhal.

“The cleric has given an inflammatory speech and used derogatory language against the Prime Minister, the home minister and Uttar Pradesh chief minister for which a case under section 504, 505 and 153 of IPC has been registered under Nakkhasa police station against him,” said superintendent of police Yamuna Prasad.

› The cleric has given an inflammatory speech and used derogatory language against the PM, the home minister and UP CM for which a case under section 504, 505 and 153 of IPC has been registered against him YAMUNA PRASAD, SP