A Muslim mahapanchayat that was scheduled to take place at Delhi’s Ramlila ground has been deferred. The Delhi High Court had granted permission to Mission Save Constitution, an organization dedicated to protecting citizens’ rights, to hold the event on December 18, with certain conditions to ensure safety and smooth proceedings.
However, the city police disclosed to the court on December 1 that they had not received any written assurance regarding specific points required for organizing the event. Consequently, they were unable to issue a no-objection certificate (NOC) for the event. The police officer stated that no one had approached them until Sunday night, leaving them without the necessary documentation for granting permission.
Mission Save Constitution, headed by advocate Mehmood Pracha, confirmed that they had filed a petition with the court regarding the issue, and a hearing on the matter is now scheduled for December 19.
The police authorities, represented by advocate Arun Panwar, had requested certain assurances from the organizers. These included a commitment that the gathering would not exceed the proposed limit of 10,000 people, ensuring the event’s safety and smooth functioning. They also insisted that the names and number of speakers would remain unchanged and that no speaker would violate Indian laws or engage in hate speech that could disrupt public harmony and tranquility in the area.
As a result, the event slated for Ramlila ground will not proceed as planned. The organizers have instead arranged for a smaller gathering at the Aiwan-e-Ghalib auditorium near ITO on Monday.
The Mission Save Constitution had previously stated in its plea that it aimed to initiate a series of events to empower marginalized sections of society. Their intention was to begin with minority communities and subsequently extend their efforts to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes, and all oppressed individuals, giving them a platform to raise their voices.
As we await the court’s decision on the matter, it is evident that the organizers and the city police are engaged in a discourse to ensure the event’s compliance with regulations and to protect public safety. The key concern appears to be preventing any potential disruption or violation of the law. It remains to be seen how the situation unfolds and whether the event will be granted the necessary clearance to proceed as planned.
