Cops deny permission for protests against Waqf, UCC

Ahmedabad: Muslim outfits in Gujarat have planned widespread protests against the Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency and Development (UMEED) Act and the bid to bring in the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in the state.
However, they are finding it difficult to get police permission to stage demonstrations or take out a rally, leading to allegations of restriction on freedom of expression.
The Gujarat Muslim Hit Rakshak Samiti, formed by more than half a dozen different Muslim outfits to raise issues related to the Waqf Amendment Act and UCC, announced on Monday that it planned to form a human chain at Nehru Bridge on Tuesday evening, with the participation of over 2,000 people expected. However, the samiti has not been granted permission for this programme by the city police. Samiti members met the police commissioner but failed to secure the permission.
"While police have refused to grant formal permission, they have conveyed that we should wrap up the programme in 10 minutes. This is not possible, and we will go ahead with the programme even without the permission," said Iqbal Beg Mirza of All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat. Mirza said that the police did not grant permission to Muslims in Dholka and Himmatnagar on Sunday. "As a last resort, we will move the Gujarat high court," he said. However, a citizen from Banaskantha withdrew his petition from the HC on Monday, complaining against the non-granting of permission by the police to hold a protest.