Workers of Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), the political wing of extremist Islamist outfit Popular Front of India (PFI), conducted a state rally in Kozhikode on April 30. Their cadres marched in the streets and held public meeting defying the ban order imposed by the police. The city was paralysed with traffic block for hours together. Even though police had permitted to hold the march, permission was not given to hold public meeting. But, they culminated the procession in the street and held a public meeting for several hours defying the police orders and ban. They used the public address system for the illegal public meeting. Police maintained that permission had been given for the mike to announce the arrival of the procession. The marchers raised provocative and fanatic slogans. The main road was blocked for hours together due to the illegal public gathering. The speakers after speakers spat fanatic venom. Police remained mute spectators. Now, the police is reported to have registered a case against the organizers; it is merely for traffic block. Usually this sort of charge is very light and it seldom attracts any stringent penalty.
The whole drama reminded the massive rally the same groups held near the Kerala High Court, Kochi, last year, to protest against the court’s verdict in Akhila’s Love Jihad case. About 4,000 people congregated in that meeting all on a sudden causing severe traffic block for hours in the business capital of the state. Leaders stood on top of the fire force vehicle to deliver speeches. But, police did not take any step to disperse the militant religious gathering.
These indents show that the fanatic religious forces are growing day by day in the state; they get political clout and also protection from both opposition Congress-led UDF and ruling CPM-led LDF.
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