ðə dᵻsˈɪʒən ʌvðə stˈeɪt ɡˈʌvɚnmənt tə pɹɪvˈɛnt pˈiːpəl fɹʌm ˈɔfɚɹɪŋ fɹˈaɪdeɪ pɹˈɛɹz fɔːɹ wˈiːks lˈɛd tə mˈæsɪv ˈaʊtɹeɪdʒ, ænd wʌz sˈiːn æz ɐn ɐtˈɛmpt tə tʃˈoʊk ðə ɹᵻbˈɛliən hˌuːz ˈɛpɪsˌɛntɚ wʌzðɪ ˈɛɹiəz ʌvðɪ ˈoʊld sˈɪɾi, pɚtˈɪkjʊlɚli ɚɹˈaʊnd dʒˈɑːmə mˈæsdʒɪd.
The decision of the state government to prevent people from offering Friday prayers for weeks led to massive outrage, and was seen as an attempt to choke the rebellion whose epicentre was the areas of the old city, particularly around Jama Masjid.