Owaisi denied permission to hold meeting in Agra

Agra, March 21: All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi has been denied permission to hold a meeting here on March 29, authorities said on Saturday. The district administration of Agra took this decision on the basis of intelligence reports which suggested this could lead to trouble after Hindutva organisations had openly declared they would not allow Owaisi to hold his meeting at the scheduled Kothi Meena Bazar ground. A memorandum by the Bajrang Dal, Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and the Hindu Jagran Manch workers forced the administration to take the step. However, district administration official Rajesh Srivastav said permission cannot be granted in view of the ongoing final examinations. AIMIM's district chief Idrish Ahmad said the district administration had accepted his affidavit a few days ago to consider permission for the meeting, but changed its mind under pressure from some organisations.