India: Muslim Rashtriya Manch (an RSS arm) leaders detained

Hyderabad, Aug 14 (PTI) Functionaries of the Muslim Rashtriya Manch (MRM), an RSS arm, were taken into preventive custody here on Wednesday when they attempted to hold a protest against Pakistan for its 'false' propaganda against abrogation of special status to Jammu and Kashmir under Art 370, police said.

They were detained as there was no permission for protests in view of the prohibitory orders in force in the city.

The MRM planned to organise the protest near its office at Afzal Gunj in the city against Pakistan for its 'false' propaganda against the the Centre revoking provisions of Article 370 and "continued support" to terrorism targeted against India, MRM state convener M A Sattar said.

The MRM members were stopped from proceeding with the protest and six of them were taken into preventive custody, police said adding all of them were later released.

MRM had celebrated the removal of the special status for Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370.

The Manch has recently drawn up plans to expand its presence in Telangana which has a substantial population of Muslims.

It planned to take up programmes for enhancing education and employment opportunities for Muslims and for promotion of Urdu, Sattar had said.

He had said the Manch, in existence in the state for the last three years, presently has over 3,000 members and the target was to take it to 10,000 by the end of this year.