ALIGARH: A group of citizens led by former president of Aligarh Muslim University students union Salman Imtiaz on Thursday asked the district authorities not to allow holding of a proposed Dharam Sansad event here which they claimed could vitiate the atmosphere in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh.
Sanatan Hindu Sewa Sanstha has proposed to hold another Dharam Sansad in Aligarh on January 22-23 on the theme of role of seers in present politics.
The Aligarh district administration, however, said they have not received any written request for organising such an event.
"We have not received any written request for organising the gathering," Additional District Magistrate (ADM) (City) Rakesh Kumar told PTI.
However, Ashok Pandey, organising officer, Sanatan Hindu Sewa Sanstha said the event at Aligarh is on.
Meanwhile, Imtiaz told reporters here that in the recent events of Dharma Sansad held in Haridwar and Chhattisgarh, a call against a particular religion was given which vitiated the atmosphere.
"Now, preparations are being made to organise Dharam Sansad on January 22 and 23 in Aligarh. This is a well-planned conspiracy to spoil the atmosphere at the time of elections and the administration should stop it."
"There is every possibility that provocative things will be discussed in the event which could spoil the atmosphere in communally sensitive Aligarh. The Dharam Sansad should not be allowed here under any circumstances," he asserted.
Imtiaz, who had recently joined the Congress, also claimed that he had gone to submit a memorandum to the district magistrate regarding this demand, but the police put him under house arrest.
He added that this amounted to violation of his constitutional rights.
Earlier, Imtiaz and prominent citizens of the district had, through a memorandum, urged President Ram Nath Kovind to intervene in the controversy created by the recent Dharam Sansad at Haridwar.
The Congress leader also urged his party's national leadership to actively oppose the holding of the Dharam Sansad event in Aligarh and take up the matter at the national level as he said the issue posed a "grave threat to the peace and unity of the country".
Extremely provocative speeches inciting violence against Muslims were allegedly made by participants at the event held at Ved Niketan Dham in Haridwar from December 16 to 19.