The police have booked around 200 persons including Congress MLA Arif Masood as thousands of Muslims on Thursday protested at historical Iqbal Maidan against French president Emmanuel Marcon for his alleged remarks against ‘Islamist separatism’.
Holding placards and raising slogans against Macron, thousands of Muslims led by Congress Bhopal Madhya MLA Arif Masood had gathered at historical Iqbal Maidan in Old city on Thursday. They were demanding an apology from the French president for his remarks.
Macron had affirmed stringent action against ‘radical Islam’ after beheading of a professor Samuel Paty, a history professor who used controversial caricatures of Prophet Mohammed from the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo in a class on freedom of expression.
Islamic countries like Turkey, Pakistan and others have slammed Macron for the remarks, seeking apology from him.
Masood on the occasion urged the GoI to snap all financial ties with France for disrespecting Prophet Mohammed. However, thousands who gathered at Iqbal Maidan breached Covid19 safety guidelines not wearing masks and not maintaining social distancing.
Later, the Talaiya police booked Masood and 200 others for violation of Covid-19 safety guidelines, said SHO Dinesh Pratap Singh talking to the media persons. The protesters were booked under section 188 of IPC.It is the same venue where the Muslims had persisted with anti CAA-NRC protests early this year.
