Plans of Hyderabad-based Muslim political group Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen to expand its base in the neighbouring Karnataka, specially Bengaluru seems to be facing a stiff resistance from the Congress party.
City Police Commissioner has imposed prohibitory orders banning Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) President Asaduddin Owaisi from entering the city a week from Friday.
In his order, Commissioner MN Reddi has also prohibited him from participating or speaking at any public meeting or function directly or through audio-visual or any other media in the city. Reddi said he has banned Owaisi by using the powers vested on him under section 144(3) CrPC.
The ban will be for one week. The notice gave 18 points explaining why the police had to impose a ban. It referred to the several cases of provocative speeches booked against Owaisi in the past.
While accepting the notice of Karnataka Police, Owaisi, in his written reply to the Police Commissioner, expresses his anguish over the notice. “I will challenge this notice in the court”, he said.
"As a Member of Parliament I can speak in the Parliament, why can't I address a public meeting in Bengaluru", he asked. He alleged that the police are creating fictitious stories to stop him from coming to Benglauru and strengthen his party ahead of Municipal elections in the city.
Referring to the cases, which police made the basis for banning his entry Owaisi wondered how he can be treated as a guilty when the court had not given its verdict on the false cases booked by the police.
The conflict between Owaisi and the Bengaluru Police started when the permission, granted for his public meeting in Shivajinagar area on February 21, was withdrawn by the police. later MIM had approached High Court to secure the permission.
Owaisi alleged that the State's Congress Government was behind the police action against his visit. "The State Government was acting like a dictator", he said.