CAA meeting: 'Cops resorted to intimidation'

“Police resorted to intimidating tactics like asking us to furnish a caution deposit of Rs 2 crore and an undertaking owing total responsibility, signed by presidents of 28 organisations,” alleged Muslim Central Committee (MCC) President K S Mohammed Masood revealed on Thursday.

“They tried to force us to change our decision on organising an awareness meeting on Citizenship (Amendment) Act and NPR at Nehru Maidan on January 4,” he added.

“Mangaluru Commissioner of Police Dr P S Harsha had extended support if the awareness meeting was organised on the city’s outskirts. But when we insisted on organising the meeting at Nehru Maidan, the police resorted to intimidating tactics. The commissioner, in writing, refused to grant permission for organising the event at Nehru Maidan,” he added.

Masood said they were not intimidated by the police but were withdrawing the awareness programme planned on January 4 following an appeal from Home Minister.

“We will decide our next course of action by interacting with other organisations after January 17,” he said and added that the awareness meeting on CAA will be held in Nehru Maidan.

Yenepoya Chancellor Y Abdulla Kunhi appealed to Muslims to maintain peace.

Meanwhile, Commissioner of Police Dr P S Harsha took to social media and listed three reasons for denying permission to MCC on organising a meet at Nehru Maidan.

The Commissioner observed that the ongoing works under Mangaluru Smart Mission might choke the flow of traffic resulting in disruption of emergency services like ambulances and fire engines. He also thanked Muslim organisations for postponing the event.