By Faisal Fareed, TwoCircles.net,
Lucknow: Exactly after one year, the Azamgarh based Rashtriya Ulama Council (RUC) will hold a rally in the mini stadium of Vikas Nagar in Lucknow on Saturday. Earlier, on February 20, 2009 RUC had held a massive rally at historic Tile Wali Masjid in the state capital.
The organization, formed in wake of Batla House encounter in 2008, turned political and fielded its candidates in 2009 Lok Sabha polls. Further expanding its domain, the organisation re-christened itself as RUC for a pan India presence.
Briefing newsmen, National President, RUC, Maulana Aamir Rashadi Madni stated that the main agenda of the rally is to stress for demands including judicial probe in Batla House encounter, implementation of Justice RD Nimesh Commission report (on the implication of Khalid Mujahid and Hakeem Tariq Qasmi in court blasts in Jaunpur and Faizabad), releasing the duo from jail, reservation for Muslims in the existing 27% quota, extending reservation benefit to Dalit Muslims under section 341 of the Constitution and upliftment of Urdu language.
“Our protest is also against price rise, dying trade units of handloom, leather units, powerloom and other cottage industries,” said Madni. Claiming that the RUC will carve a niche for itself in the political domain, Madni apprised newsmen that several burning issues in the country will be addressed during the rally. “We believe in plain speaking and do not hide anything, we are also concerned with the issues like corruption and immorality and are committed to eradicating them,” he said.
Madni claimed that RUC will play a larger role in coming days and it will strive for the rights of all downtrodden and deprived sections. “We will continue to wage our battle for the rights of youths by using the provisions under Indian constitution,” he said.
The leaders informed newsmen that workers of RUC have toured the state extending the invitation for the rally on Saturday. The organizers claimed that like-minded persons from other states are also expected to attend the rally. National President, Janwadi Party, Sanjay Chauhan too has given his consent for the rally.