Kerala's People's Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday called for a statewide dawn-to-dusk hartal on Wednesday, July 26, in a protest against the recent court order that rejected the request of its leader Abdul Nasser Madani to attend his son's wedding.
The leader, who is an accused in the 2008 Bangalore blasts that killed one person and injured 20 others, had sought permission to take part in his son's wedding. His son Umar Mukhthar is to tie the knot at Thalassery, Kannur on August 9.
Although a National Investigation Agency (NIA) court had allowed Madani to visit Kerala from August 1 to 7, his request to stay up to August 20 was turned down drawing the ire of his supporters.
The PDP state working committee chairman Poonthura Siraj at a hastily convened press conference announced the call for hartal.
In its ruling, the court noted that the accused had previously been given permission by the Supreme Court to visit his parents and also allowed him to attend his daughter's marriage.
