Tension Prevails In Bareilly After Cleric's Call For Protest On Gyanvapi Issue

Tension prevails in Bareilly after Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan, Uttar Pradesh cleric and Head of Ittehad-e-Millat Council, gave a call for 'jail bharo' movement after Friday prayers in protest against offering of prayers inside the Gyanvapi mosque, the police said.

After the announcement by Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan, the police is taking precautionary measures and has made concrete arrangements to stop the proposed programme.

The Islamia Maidan has been sealed, and Pradeshik Armed Constabulary as well as Rapid Action Force have also been deployed.

A senior police official said, "We will make sure that people do not collect at any place on Friday. We have adequate forces to deal with the situation peacefully."

The cleric's followers have distributed pamphlets and shared posts on social media that say, "The Babri mosque was snatched from us using court's decision and now they have started offering prayers in Gyanvapi mosque. Our 700-year-old mosque was razed during midnight hours."

The media in-charge of the organisation has appealed to the people to reach here.- IANS