Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal, on 26 February, organised a public rally near P North Liberty Garden in Mumbai to provoke people to demolish a 100-year-old mosque in the city. Leaders of both parties, who addressed the gathering, competed among themselves in abusing Muslims and spewing venom against them. Addressing the rally, Shankar Gaikar, senior leader of Bajrang Dal, told the Bombay Municipal Corporation to demolish the structure at its earliest otherwise his ‘party’ was better capable to do this job. Area organiser of Shiv Sena, Ashok Patel, said his party would convene a public gathering again if the BMC did not demolish it within a week time.
On the other hand, the managing committee of the structure stated that the local Inspector of the Police and the SP called them a day before the rally and requested them to “show patience and harmony” on the occasion.