MUMBAI, Sept 25: A large protest led by former MP Imtiaz Jaleel of AIMIM, along with other political and social groups, gathered over 12,000 members of the Muslim community to seek action against BJP MLA Nitesh Rane and preacher Ramgiri Maharaj over their alleged hate speeches. However, the massive crowd was not allowed to enter Mumbai late at night on Monday and had to return from Mulund Check Naka.
The protest, named the 'Tiranga Samvidhan Rally,' began in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and involved hundreds of vehicles from different parts of Marathwada heading toward Mumbai via the Samruddhi Expressway. The convoy caused major traffic disruption, marking the first time a protest rally jammed the expressway.
According to a Times of India report, the crowd reached the Mulund toll plaza late on Monday evening, but after delivering their representation to the divisional collector and other officials, they dispersed peacefully that night without entering Mumbai.
Despite heavy police presence and traffic diversions, including over 3,000 officers deployed across the city, the protest concluded without further escalation. Close to 2,000 vehicles reportedly participated, including private buses and mini-trucks, with activists from Dalit and Maratha communities joining the rally.
At the rally, Imtiaz Jaleel expressed deep concern over the growing divisions in Maharashtra along caste and religious lines. He condemned the lack of police action against Rane for his inflammatory speeches and emphasized the need for stricter laws to prevent hate speech and communal incitement. "Muslims are being threatened from the stage; are these not criminal acts? Should action not be taken?" he asked, calling for the immediate arrest of both Ramgiri Maharaj and Nitesh Rane.
Jaleel also criticised the government's inaction and highlighted the importance of adhering to the Constitution and the law. He aimed to remind Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis of their responsibility to uphold the rule of law, especially in the context of hate speech and communal violence.
While the protest was intended to deliver copies of the Constitution to government officials and demand accountability, the Mumbai police had denied Jaleel permission to enter the city. To prevent any possible unrest, police had erected barricades at the Mulund toll naka, a major entry point to Mumbai, and made arrangements to stop the protestors there. Joint Commissioner of Police Satyanarayan Choudhary confirmed that after handing over their letter, the protestors dispersed without incident.
Jaleel stated that their objective was to peacefully bring attention to the state's failure to act against hate speech and inflammatory remarks, emphasizing the need for legal action against Rane and Maharaj, who are already facing multiple FIRs for inciting communal tensions. —FPJ
