Congress MLA Prasad Abbayya visiting the grounds a few days earlier where he is seen with the organisers. | Photo Credit: Times Now

Hubli: A Pakistan-based religious group has triggered a major controversy after they announced plans to hold a convention in Karnataka over the weekend. The two-day ‘Ijtema’ by Dawat-e-Islami is being held in Hubli despite objections by various Muslim groups. However, authorities from the group claim that they have received permission to go on with the event. Interestingly, the outfit’s programmes are banned even in Pakistan.

While several Muslims vocalised their displeasure to the event, Congress leader MB Patil declined to comment on the matter and said that it has not come to his notice and that he was not aware of the event.

However, in a major twist to the tale, Times Now has accessed exclusive visuals that show Congress MLA Prasad Abbayya visiting the grounds a few days earlier where he was seen with the organisers, clearly indicating that he had given his backing for the event.

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The event was denied permission in Telangana by the police who cited law and order concerns, after which the organisation approached the Karnataka Congress MLA, who agreed to it. Abbayya is the same MLA was in a soup for seeking help and votes from the radical Social Democratic Party of India during Karnataka elections.

Sources in the Hubli-Dharwad commissionerate have told Times Now that the organisation has the required permission for the event and that they have the backing of the local Congress MLA.

BJP’s Subramanian Swamy said the chief minister of the state should be pulled up. “Well, we know that the problem is there with these regional parties...they don't have any national outlook and they feel that this is some kind of augmentation of their strength... I think the Centre should pull up Chief Minister (HD Kumaraswamy),” Swamy said.

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