Admn bid to rope in clerics to ensure peace yields results

LUCKNOW : A day after the antiCAA protest turned violent with one death in Lucknow, the district administration and police tried to rope in Shia and Sunni clerics to ensure peace, especially on Friday.

Police and administrative officials either called or met some clerics and the exercise continued till late Thursday night. The exercise apparently yielded results at least in the state capital which remained calm throughout the day. The clerics also came forward and not only tried to pacify the agitators but also contacted prominent mosques here to pass on the message to the community through loudspeakers to return home peacefully after offering ‘namaz’.

An official said, “We spoke to clerics and madarasa teachers, urging them to pacify youths.” A police official, who talked to clerics, said, “I asked them about their concerns and if there was some fear bothering them. We assured no one would harm them, especially after the protest.”

Some religious leaders were concerned about possible arrests after the violence. “We assured no one would be arrested or detained unnecessarily. They claimed the people who resorted to violence were not locals ” said an inspector. Sunni cleric Maulana Khalid Rasheed Farangi Mahali, Imam Eidgah said, “Being a religious leader it’s our responsibility to ensure no one indulges in violence. Hence, after being contacted by the administration, we tried to pacify the community, asking people to not stage any more anti-CAA protest.”

Shia cleric Kalbe Jawad too made an appeal to maintain peace and harmony .