Bengaluru: Police on Thursday banned All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi from entering Bengaluru till February 25 but permitted the Hyderabad-based party to conduct a meeting at Chhota Maidan in Shivajinagar on Saturday.
The party had approached the police for permission to conduct the event. “Permission was granted only after examining the programmes for the event. But Owaisi is banned from entering Bengaluru for seven days. He is known for his provocative and inflammatory speeches and we do not want to take any chances. He also has several criminal cases against him in various states of the country,” a senior police officer said.
Police have given strict instruction to the AIMIM not to conduct the meeting beyond the stipulated timing: 3-5 pm. They cannot broadcast Owaisi’s speech either. If the organisers are found breaking the guidelines, they will be dealt with as per law, the officer added.
Meanwhile, Owaisi on Thursday resorted to “Gandhigiri” to protest denial of permission to address a public meeting in Bangaluru.
Owaisi insisted additional police commissioner Noorullah Shareef to accept flowers much to the amusement of onlookers as he came to his office to serve the notice barring his entry into Bangaluru from February 19-25.
The Bangaluru police had first granted and then revoked permission for Owaisi’s public meeting on February 8.
The MIM moved the Karnataka high court against the permission withdrawal. The police informed the party that permission would be accorded if an application was filed with the DCP (east), which resulted in the notice on Thursday.
“The notice has pained me as an Indian, who can speak in the Parliament but not in Bengaluru. I have cases against me and I am innocent until proven guilty,” said Owaisi.
“I am sure that the courts will do justice to me. As a citizen of India, I accept your notice but reject its contentions.”
(Agencies)
