|
Thousands converge on Cairo's Tahrir Square
Friday April 20, 2012 07:19:27 PM,
IANS
|
|
|
|
|
Cairo: Cairo's Tahrir Square, symbol of Egypt's pro-democracy revolution,
witnessed a massive gathering of protesters Friday in one of the
largest demonstrations since last year's 18-day revolt that ousted
then president Hosni Mubarak and changed country's political
future.
The rally was called by liberals to reject the nomination of
Mubarak-era figures in the presidential race. But by Friday, it
had morphed into an anti-military council rally to include a
cross-section of Egypt's society with differing and competing
messages, the Washington Post reported.
Islamists held a similar protest last week but liberals refused to
join. It highlighted the deep polarisation of Egypt's political
and revolutionary communities weeks ahead of the first
presidential elections after decades of autocratic rule.
After the Muslim Brotherhood's top strategist and presidential
hopeful Khairat el-Shater was disqualified because he was a
political prisoner under Mubarak's iron-fisted rule, the powerful
organisation urged its followers to go to the square.
Disqualification of various prominent individuals from
presidential elections has brought a tentative unity among the
political elite. They are battling over the nation's future and
the logistics of how to put a constitution together, and are
accusing one another of selling out to the military rulers.
Many are accusing the military leaders of trying to control the
outcome of the elections and Egypt's future through the
disqualifications and also by interfering in the appointment of
the constituent assembly.
Over 50 groups were participating in Friday's protests, ranging
from the ultra-conservative Gamaa Islamiya to the revolutionary
youth group April 6, who were instrumental during last year's
revolt.
|
|
Home |
Top of the Page
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Top Stories |
|
 India creates history, tests 5,000 km Agni-V missile
India Thursday created history with the successful
testing of the much awaited Agni-V long-range ballistic
nuclear-capable missile, described as 'China killer', that
»
PM hails Agni-V milestone
India no rival, says China as daily slams 'missile delusion'
|
|
|
|
Most Read |
|
 'Middle class Muslim women still victims of bias'
Muslim
women from middle class homes continue to battle discrimination
despite efforts by the government and non-profit organisations to
empower them, says veteran filmmaker-activist Rama
»
|
|
Sam Pitroda to Hamid Ansari - who will be India's next president?
With less than three months to go before President Pratibha
Patil's term ends, a slew of possible successors are doing the
rounds. But with the ruling Congress doing poorly in recent state
elections, regional parties may hold the key to selecting the
nation's 13th president. Among these names
»
|
|
|
|
News Pick |
|
 Madrassas help students make sense of the world
When I first came to Jamia Millia
Islamia to teach, some 30 years ago, the madrassa in my mind was a
quaint holdover from the past. In the course of studying
»
|
|
 Manufacturing a Riot
In Saidabad and Madannapeth areas of Hyderabad
(April 1st week, 2012) violence was unleashed against the local
Muslims. In this violence several houses were damaged, many
»
|
|
Muslims
urged to fix priorities adopting collective wisdom
The three-day 14th
International conference organised by the well-known think tank
Institute of Objective Studies, (IOS), on “Minority Rights and
Identities: Challenges and Prospects in an Unfolding Global
Scenario” here at the Constitutional Club of India concluded on
Sunday last
»
|
|
|
|
Picture of the Day |
|
 |
|
India successfully flight-tested the Long Range Ballistic
Missile (LRBM) Agni-V (A-5) from wheeler’s island, in Odisha
on April 19, 2012. With the launch, India stormed into an
exclusive club of nations, including US, Russia and China.
(Photo: DPR (MOD))
|
|
|
|
|
Comments
|
Quick links