New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has declined to direct the Delhi Police to issue a no-objection certificate (NOC) for the ‘All India Muslim Mahapanchayat’ scheduled at Ramlila Maidan on October 29, The Wire reported.
Concerns were raised over the potential for the event to ignite communal tensions, especially with multiple Hindu festivals coinciding around the same period.
Justice Subramonium Prasad, as reported by Bar and Bench, highlighted that the nature of the event indicated communal undertones, and its proposed location in the Old Delhi area, known for its communal sensitivity, added to the apprehensions.
Initially approved by the Delhi Police and Municipal Corporation of Delhi, the permission for the event was subsequently revoked, a decision upheld by the court.
The court’s order emphasised the period’s cultural significance for the Hindu community, citing the festivities of Navratri, Karvachauth, Dhanteras, and Diwali, which are highly revered and celebrated during this time.
While allowing the petitioner organization to reapply for permission after the conclusion of the festivals, the court urged the authorities to consider the merits of the request before making a decision.
Notably, the organisation behind the event, ‘Mission Save Constitution,’ comprises notable figures such as advocate Mehmood Pracha, national convener; Wajahat Habibullah, former chairperson of the National Commission for Minorities, as principal advisor; Justice B.G. Kolse, former high court judge, as advisor; and Maulana Tauqeer Raza, an Islamic cleric, associated with the organization.
