Nagpur, March 13 -- Maulana Sajid Rashidi, the President of the All India Imam Association has strongly criticised Uttar Pradesh's local administration order to cover mosques during Holi alleging that this is a "conspiracy" to weaken Muslims and encourage hooligans.

Condemning the order, Rashidi stated that targeting Muslims and issuing orders in the name of mosques is "unconstitutional".

Rashidi said, "Targeting Muslims and issuing orders in the name of mosques is unconstitutional. This is a conspiracy to weaken Muslims and encourage hooligans. I condemn this."

He further called the order of the Sambhal administration to cover the mosques a "Tughlaqi farmaan" which was never witnessed in the history of India.

Alleging that such order...