Samajwadi Party meeting still unclear

Mumbai, Nov 20 (UNI) The Maharashtra government today refused to grant permission to Samajwadi Party to hold a rally at Shivaji Park in Central Mumbai tomorrow.

Talking to UNI, city SP general secretary Shyamsunder Arya said even though the party had been denied the permission, party activists would court arrest tomorrow.

He said while party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav was not coming for the same, the presence of party general secretary Amar Singh, who was in the city yesterday, was also not sure yet. Party MP and Mumbai unit president Abu Asim Azmi would lead the party activists.

Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh had yesterday criticised Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, claiming permission to the party's proposed meeting was being denied on the directions of UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi.

Mr Singh, while stating that the meet will be held at all costs, had even dared the Chief Minister and city police commissioner A N Roy to stop thousands of Samajwadi Party workers from congregating at Shivaji Park. ''I myself will court arrest along with other party workers,'' he had said.

Mr Azmi had stated that in the meeting, his party will highlight the issue of the demolition drive of hutments existing till 2000 despite an assurance of regularising them.

The meeting will also demand a CBI probe in the Malegaon and Mumbai bomb blasts. ''The government accepted the demand for a CBI probe in the Khairlanji dalit murder case. It should do so in respect of the bomb blasts probe as well,'' he had added.

Political observers felt that the shadow of ensuing Uttar Pradesh assembly elections and the clash between Congress and Samajwadi Party during the same has made an impact on the proposed rally also.

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