Lucknow

The All India Shia Personal Law Board has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and urged him to ensure better arrangements for the upcoming Muharram procession.

In their letter to PM, the Shia Board also talked about the problems faced by the Shia community during the Muharram processions.

"Hazrat Imam Hussain who along with his family and 72 companions had sacrificed their lives in the field of Karbala to save humanity which also included a 6-month-old child. In memory of such a great personality, Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians and people of every religion celebrate Muharram in India as well as all over the world. You are to be informed that this year Muharram is starting from July 8, where along with 7 to 8 crore Shia Muslim community spread across India, people of different religions also take out processions and tazias in large numbers," the letter said.

The board urged the Prime Minister to ensure security arrangements on the routes determined by the state governments so that untruly elements cannot disturb the law and order.

"Keeping in mind the cleanliness of the routes of processions taken out during Muharram and the intense heat, arrangements for sprinkling water or water tanks should be made at various places on the roads," the letter read.

"On the occasion of Muharram, tall processions of Tazias are taken out on traditional routes throughout India, in which many times people get electrocuted due to electric wires. Hence, proper arrangements should be made on the routes of the Tazias by directing the electricity department," the Shia Board further added.

Further, the Board asserted that the PM should direct the Chief Ministers of every state to ensure the Majlis' (people who hold mourning meetings), who stay awake the entire night do not face any kind of difficulty.

"In the month of Muharram, mourning associations in the entire country including Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, stay awake the entire night and hold Noha Khwani and Majlise (mourning meetings) in the memory of Hazrat Imam Hussain in Imambaras (religious places of worship) at various places," it said.

"You are requested to direct the Chief Ministers of every state to ensure that these Majlises (mourning meetings) are conducted safely and the district administration should ensure that the people mourning who go to these meetings, especially the elderly, children and women, do not face any kind of difficulty and make arrangements for their security," it added.