MUMBAI: A Goregaon-based cleric,

Manzoor Ziyaee, who heads NGO Ilm O Hunar Foundation and madrassa Al Jamiatul Zohra Educational Trust has turned against the country oldest political party. In a series of articles carried in

dailies, Ziyaee has slammed the

for its failure to do justice to the minorities, especially Muslims. He is asking Muslims to vote against the Congress.

On probing, it has emerged that Ziayee had planned an international anti-terrorism conference on March 30 but the cops cancelled the permission at the eleventh hour, citing the code of conduct. Ziayee blames a prominent Congress leader in the city for putting pressure on the police to cancel permission. Before the announcement of nominations, Ziayee had called a meeting of a group of community leaders and demanded that the Congress give at least one seat in the city to a Muslim. As Ziayee had threatened agitation against Congress if his demand wasn’t met, the Congress leader felt the conference could’ve seen anti-Congress speeches and hence, got it cancelled.