The police also issued notices to the clerics and trustees of the mosques where Tablighi Jamaat members often gather. One such notice was issued by the inspector in charge of Adampur police station to Nasim Ahmad, son of Haji Bashir Ahmad, a resident of Chittanpura in Varanasi. The notice issued on 29 August 2023 said, "You will not organize any meeting or program of Jamaat members in your mosque. You are strictly instructed to cooperate in maintaining peace and order. No program will be organized without the permission of the government-administration. If you organize or participate in any such meeting or program, you will face strict legal action as per the rules."
Tablighi Jamaat came into discussion during the corona pandemic. It is an organization that does not work on paper. It has no website, no register and no accounts. The mesh cap, open beard, pajama and kurta are the identity of the Jamaat members. They call themselves the army of Allah and remain engaged in religious propaganda throughout the year. They have no concern with the media. Some selected mosques in Varanasi have their gatherings.
On 27 August 2023, Adampur police station got information about the presence of Jamaat members in Bhoj Baba's mosque in the area. The police reached the spot immediately and took everyone out of the mosque and sent them to Cantt railway station. The police also launched a campaign against Tablighi Jamaat in many mosques of the city, including New Road, Nadesar. Those who were found in the mosques were sent to railway stations.
The commissionerate police of Varanasi have issued notices to all the clerics and trustees of the mosques where Tablighi Jamaat members often gather under section 149 CRPC. Azad Adhikar Sena's national president Amitabh Thakur has strongly objected to this matter and filed a complaint against the commissionerate police of Varanasi with the National Human Rights Commission.
He said that religious activities are not banned in India. In such cases, the police cannot issue notices under section 145 CRPC. He said that issuing notices to almost all the clerics and trustees of mosques in Varanasi can be seen as an act of intimidation and harassment of a particular community. He said that preaching is a fundamental right of Muslims, which is guaranteed by the constitution. He demanded that the police should withdraw their notices and apologize for their misconduct.
