Tension Intensifies in Bareilly After Maulana Tauqeer Raza's Protest on Gyanvapi

New Delhi: Tension prevailed in Bareilly on Friday after Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan, Uttar Pradesh cleric and Head of Ittehad-e-Millat Council, gave a call for 'jail bharo' movement after Juma prayers in protest against the offering of prayers inside the Gyanvapi mosque.

After the announcement by Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan, the police is taking precautionary measures and have made concrete arrangements to stop the proposed programme.

The Islamia Maidan has been sealed, and the Pradeshik Armed Constabulary as well as Rapid Action Force have also been deployed.

Speaking to IANS, a senior police official said, "We will make sure that people do not collect at any place on Friday. We have adequate forces to deal with the situation peacefully."

The cleric's followers have distributed pamphlets and shared posts on social media that say, “The Babri mosque was snatched from us using the court's decision and now they have started offering prayers in Gyanvapi mosque. Our 700-year-old mosque was razed during midnight hours.”