Avoid confrontation, urge community elders

Kolkata: Muslim religious figures and community intellectuals on Monday appealed to people to stay away from street protests and avoid confrontation with govt after violence and injuries during a Park Circus gathering on Sunday.The appeals came after clashes broke out during an unauthorised protest linked to partial demolition of two buildings in Tiljala that authorities said had been constructed illegally. One of the buildings witnessed a fire last Tuesday in which two persons died. "We repeatedly appealed to people not to respond to such calls and for any kind of protest. This is a new govt and it must be given time to address issues through dialogue," said Shahood Alam, general secretary of the All India Milli Council, West Bengal. "We should meet govt representatives to explain our concerns and work together to resolve matters. There should be no confrontation with administration over issues such as illegal constructions, offering prayers on roads or animal sacrifice," said Alam.Several community figures said there was uncertainty over who had organised the gathering and cautioned against responding to calls circulated on social media. "Nobody knew clearly who was organising the protest. Such gatherings can easily be misused by disruptive elements, creating unrest," said Abdul Aziz, secretary of the Milli Etihad Parishad. "Going forward nobody must respond to such calls for protests."Social media platforms were also flooded with such appeals. One widely circulated message said sensitive matters required "responsible and restrained handling" and urged people not to respond to online calls for assembly. "Some people fell into the trap as the appeal was circulated by unknown individuals, and no one has come forward to take responsibility for it. This is not the right way to voice concerns. I would request the govt to forgive them as they were misled," said Maulana Shabbir Misbahi, imam of Royd Street Jama Masjid.