For me Community First, Congress Next – Ashraf During Mangaluru Chalo

For me Community First, Congress Next – Ashraf During Mangaluru Chalo

Mangaluru: The United Muslim Organizations Dakshina Kannada under the leadership of Former Mayor Ashraf organised a protest meet, “Mangaluru Chalo”, at the Nehru Maidan here on May 2.

The protest meet began with an invocation. President of the Muslim Central Committee Mangaluru K S Mohammed Masood inaugurated the protest meet. In his inaugural speech, Masood said, “Today we are holding a protest meet under the leadership of Ashraf. We do not have any party, those who have gathered here are fighting for justice. Ashraf is the vice president of the state Minority cell. I am a senior most member of the Congress party since 1952. Today we have sown the seed to fight against atrocities on the Muslim community. I am not talking about the torture of Quraishi. But when the protesters demanded justice for Quraishi they were assaulted by the police. Today, we have controlled the protest meet and warned all the protesters not to criticise anyone but to hold a peaceful protest.”

Masood also said, “This platform is not for politics, we are fighting for justice. If we have done any mistake correct us. We are not supporting terrorism. I am ready to do any sacrifice for the minority. Muslims are not fools. When we are born we have to die one day and we are not afraid to die. We are fighting for peace and justice. We demand a Judicial inquiry and not the CID inquiry. We will not accept the CID inquiry. We want justice for our community. There are MLAs, MLCs, ministers and other political leaders who have not supported us but God will support us in our fight to get justice.”

Former Mayor and the organizing president Ashraf said, “In this district from many years there are atrocities on the Muslim community. Innocent Muslim youth have been targetted and fixed in murder cases. Some police have arrested innocent youth and fixed them in murder cases which they were not involved. A similar case has happened with Quraishi, he was arrested in the court premises and later was tortured. Today Quraishi, tomorrow me and you. In other districts, Muslims are united but in the Dakshina Kannada district, the police are not allowing the Muslims to be united. The police department is trying to divide the Muslim community and our ministers do not have time to interfere in community matters. Today they have tortured Quraishi, tomorrow Rama and later John. Our aim is to stop the police from torturing innocent people whoever or whichever community they belong”.

Ashraf further said, “In Karopady, the Gram Panchayat president Jalil was killed. He had informed the authorities about the life threats but no one took it seriously. Finally, Jalil was killed in broad daylight. Where were the congress leaders when an innocent was murdered? Yes, I am an active member of the Congress but for me, the community is first and Congress next. Muslims are not liars but for the police, we are liars. I had requested many Congress leaders to join the protest meet but most of the leaders are afraid to take part in the protest and demand justice for Quraishi. If any member of the BJP would have been tortured they would have got into the action by joining hands and demanded justice. We demand the district minister in-charge Rai, Khader, and the Chief minister to give justice to Quraishi by suspending those responsible for torturing him. Let there be a judicial inquiry in this case”.

Advocate Dinesh Ulipady, S B Darimi Mulki and Shafi Sahadi NKM Bengaluru also spoke on the occasion. Hussain Darimi Renjiladi, Abdul Hameed Bajpe, Abdul Khader Darimi Kukkila, Sirajuddin Sakhafi Kanyana, Isaac Faizi, Yaqoob Sahadi, Ashraf Kinara Mangaluru, Mohammed Haneef U, P B D’Sa, Suhail Kandak and others were also present.