Protest against Assam riots turns violent in Mumbai
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, August 11, 2012:
A protest in Mumbai against Assam riots today turned violent with demonstrators torching a vehicle, damaging buses and indulging in stone pelting prompting the police to fire in the air.
Police said two people were killed in the violence during the protests.
Hundreds of protesters gathered at the Azad Maidan Ground in south Mumbai this afternoon following a call by a city-based organisation Raza Academy to denounce the violence in Assam.
Azad Maidan is located near Mumbai civic body head-quarters and CST Mumbai railway station.
The protesters suddenly turned violent and torched a media vehicle and damaged buses.
They also pelted stones.
Police opened fire in the air and resorted to lathi-charge to disperse the mob, said a policeman deployed at the Azad Maidan.
The protest was staged by several Muslim organizations to condemn alleged attacks on Muslims in Myanmar and the riots in Assam.
Led by Raza Academy, an organization working to promote Islamic culture, the pro test was supported by other organizations like Sunni Jamaitul Ulma and Jamate Raza-e-Mustafa.
They also condemned the riots and violence in Assam.
Sporting black badges, hundreds of members and activists of these organizations, earlier converged at the Azad Maidan and expressed concern over the massacre of the Muslim community.
Maulana Syed Moinuddin Ashraf, president of Jamia Qadriya Ashrafiya, has urged the the central and state governments to intervene.
"It is the responsibility of the Congress government to protect the Muslims, and for that matter each and every citizen," said the Maulana, who is also known as Moin Miyan.
"With regards to the massacre in Myanmar, we understand it is an external problem and that certainly should be taken care of, but what is happening in Assam reflects on the state of affairs of the country," he added.
"A large number of Muslims have been rendered homeless and are now living in camps," said Raza Academy chairman Saeed Noorie.
Noorie said they have already written to the government of Myanmar, the United Nations, the International Human Rights Organization, Organization of Islamic Countries, President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to highlight the massacre of Muslims in Myanmar.