Shia Muslims in Hyderabad marched to the Raj Bhavan on Wednesday protesting against the United States attacks on the Shia holy places of Karbala and Najaf in Iraq and demanded India's intervention to stop the war.
About 1,000 Shias, including women, participation in the protest rally organised by a religious organisation Anjuman-e-Alvi Akhbari from Darushifa, a Shia dominated locality in the Old City area of Hyderabad.
The protestors warned of 'unimaginable consequences' if any damage is caused to the shrines of Imam Hazrat Ali, the fourth Caliph and Prophet Mohammed's son-in-law, at Najaf and Hazrat Imam Hussain, the Prophet's grandson, who was martyred at Karbala.
They also condemned the US attacks on the Shia holy places at other Iraqi cities such as Kazimain and Samerah.
A delegation led by Moulana Waheeduddin Haider Jafferi, President of Anjuman, and Prof Abdur Raheem, Department of Journalism, Osmania University, met Andhra Pradesh Governor Surjeet Singh Barnala and presented a memorandum urging the Indian government to exercise its influence to stop the war.
Meanwhile, a group of 400 school children also took out a procession to Raj Bhavan and formed a human chain raising slogans against the American war on Iraq. The children from different schools carried placards with the slogan, 'We don't want war, we want peace."
