Muslim Organisations hold massive protests before Bush visit

New Delhi, Mar 1 (UNI) Hours before the arrival of US President George Bush to India on a three-day visit, several Muslim parties today held protests and demonstrations in several parts of the capital, opposing the visit.

A massive rally was organised by the Jamait Ulama-i-Hind at the Ramlila grounds to protest the visit of the US President.

Thousands of protestors held placards denouncing Mr Bush and his ''anti-Islam policies.'' The protestors, hailing from states like Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan, were seen carrying black flags.

Raising 'Anti-Bush', 'Anti-America' and 'Anti-Imperialism' slogans, the demonstrators condemned the policies of the Bush regime on Iraq and Iran's nuclear programme. They also condemned the publication of cartoons of Prophet Mohammed by a Danish publication.

Politicians from a wide political spectrum, including CPI General secretary A B Bardhan, Rashtriya Lok Dal leader Ajit Singh, former Prime Minister V P Singh, Agra MP Raj Babbar, and social activist Medha Patkar addressed the gathering of nearly 70000 people.

The rally also mourned the demise of Jamait president Maulana Syed Asad Madani.

A senior official said the rally caused massive traffic jams upto Rajghat.

In view of the rally, the traffic police had banned the entry of all goods vehicles on the ring road between the Nizamuddin Bridge and the ISBT. All these vehicles were diverted towards the trans Yamuna. Several buses had also been diverted and rerouted to avoid traffic congestion in the vicinity of the Ramlila grounds.

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