Imams to stage sit-in protests

Kozhikode, Dec 5 (UNI) The Kerala Imams Council (KIC) will stage sit-in protests here and in State Capital Thiruvananthapuram tomorrow, demanding permission to reconstruct the 16th century Babri Masjid at Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh.

Talking to newspersons here, KIC Vice-Chairman Abdussalam Moulavi Manjeri and General Secretary Abdunnasir Baqavi said that although the then Prime Minister Narasimha Rao had promised to reconstruct the structure, destroyed 15 years ago, no action had been taken so far.

The subsequent Governments led by the ''so called secular parties,'' which had came to power by cashing in on the feelings of the community, had also conveniently ignored the issue, they said.

Urging the Centre to entrust the reconstruction of the Masjid with the community, they said such a step would assuage the hurt sentiments of about 15 crore Muslims in the country.

Office bearers of KIC from the area, district and State level would participate in the agitation, they said.

UNI