CHENNAI, India: Momineen of Tamilnadu state of South India did not lag behind other Muslim brethren of different parts of India as well as the world in condemning the defamatory caricatures of Holy Prophet of Islam (p.b.u.h ) and also the desecration of the the shrine of 10th and 11th Holy Imams in Samarra.

A large majority of Muslim men and women from all over Tamilnadu state raised their voice of condemnation in the form of a massive protest march as well as a public meeting here in Chennai city, the capital of the said state.

Under the leadership of Chief Shia Kazi, Moulana G. M. Mehdi Khan Saheb, a protest rally was held on 27th February 2006 at the Thousand Lights Mosque campus – which is the main Shia Muslim centre at Chennai, South India. Hundreds of men and women from Chennai city gathered to mourn the destruction of the Holy Shrine of Holy Imams. Prominent personalities both from Shia and Sunni communities addressed the gathering and it had the desired effect in that it created a solemn atmosphere of mourning in the real sense of the term.

Subsequent to the rally Muslims of Tamilnadu organized two programmes – a protest procession and a public meeting on 7TH march 2006. No efforts were spared to make these two programmes a grand success.

Mammoth procession comprising of about four thousand men and women drawn from all over Tamilnadu was so orderly and peaceful that it, not only earned the appreciation of the law enforcing authorities but also the onlookers and the media as well.

This procession comprised of large numbers of banners and placards containing messages condemning the West for the defamatory cartoons as well as the barbaric acts of indignation and brutality against the poor helpless Iraqis and also its attempts in making matters worse by creating internal strife in Iraq.

After the termination of the massive procession, a protest meeting was held in the campus of the historic Wallajahi Mosque (popularly known as the Big Mosque) through the good offices of Nawab Mohammed Abdul Ali Azim Jah Saheb, the Prince of Arcot. None other than Mr. N. Ram, Editor-in-Chief of the internationally popular Indian daily THE HINDU, Chennai, delivered keynote address of this meeting. Besides Mr. N. Ram the other speakers were the Prince of Arcot Nawab Mohammed Abdul Ali Azim Jah, Chief Sunni Kazi of the State Government Mufti Salahuddin Mohammed Ayub Saheb and the Chief Shia Kazi Moulana G.M. Mehdi Khan Saheb.

The chairman of Tamilnadu Shia Muslim Convention, Mr. N.A. Mirza welcomed the gathering. The vice-chairman Mr. Mir Zahid Hussain read out the resolution adopted at the meeting and the secretary Mr. Kumail Hyder Khan proposed the vote of thanks.