TOON TROUBLE: Protestors fired shots in the air and damaged the BJP state office

Press Trust Of India

Lucknow: Demonstrators, protesting the publication of caricatures of Prophet Mohammad in European newspapers, fired shots in the air and damaged the BJP state office as they marched towards the Lucknow Assembly on Sunday.

Thousands of Muslims assembled at the historic Tilewali Masjid in the old city before staging a noisy demonstration in front of the Vidhan Sabha.

Addressing the gathering, Islamic scholars and religious leaders demanded cancellation of US President George W Bush's upcoming visit to the country and also demanded the recall of India's ambassador to Denmark.

The demonstrators carried placards and shouted slogans against Denmark, Britain and the US. They also torched an effigy of US President George W Bush.

Islamic scholars Maulana Kalbe Jawwad and Maulana Fazlur Rehman and United Muslim Morcha Vice-President Salahuddin Shibu accused the UPA Government of "surrendering before the imperialist Bush".

They also wanted an apology from the Government for voting against Iran at the IAEA and asked it to restore the minority status of the Aligarh Muslim Univesrity.