A Joint Action Committee (JAC) against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC) on Thursday said that it was planning to go ahead with its decision to hold a ‘Million March’ on December 28 at Hyderabad's Necklace Road.
The JAC reiterated its stand just hours after the police said that no permission had been given for the event.
The members of the core committee of the JAC, which consists of several Muslim organisations, met with Hyderabad police commissioner Anjani Kumar and requested him to reconsider the stand taken by law enforcement authorities.
Speaking to reporters after the meet, the JAC leaders said that the march would be held 'at any cost' and said that the meeting would be peaceful.
In a small statement on Twitter, Central Zone DCP P Viswaprasad had said, "No permission has been given for any procession/rally/march/public assembly anywhere in the city including Tank Bund and its surroundings on 28-12-2019. Public should not believe any fake news, rumours or propaganda in this regard."
No permission has been given for any procession/rally/march/public assembly anywhere in the city including TankBund and its surroundings on 28-12-2019. Public should not believe any fake news, rumours or propaganda in this regard.
— Hyderabad City Police (@hydcitypolice) December 26, 2019
P. Viswaprasad,
DCP, Central Zone,
Hyderabad.
Many had commented on social media and asked why the police gave permission for a recent Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) meeting, but denied permission for the 'Million March'.
When a similar question was posed to Anjani Kumar in a press conference on Thursday, he said that permission was given to public meetings at designated places, but protests on public roads would adversely impact vehicular traffic in the city.
In November, striking employees of the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) had also been denied permission to stage a protest at Tank Bund. However, they said that they would go ahead with their plan.
As a result, the police had to block all roads to Tank Bund. Despite this, some striking workers managed to breach the barricades and register their protest. There was also mild stone pelting and lathicharge at the time.
The ‘million march’ refers at an attempt to recreate a massive gathering at Tank Bund that had taken place during the Telangana movement for separate statehood.
Meanwhile, the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) led by Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi is all set for a massive rally in Nizamabad town on Friday evening. A large number of people are expected to attend the gathering.