Srinagar, December 18, 2021 (PPI-OT):Hindu nationalist groups once again stormed a Namaz site disrupting Friday congregational prayers of Muslims who gathered at different sites in Gurgaon city defying Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar’s announcement that “offering namaz in public places cannot be tolerated”.

According to Kashmir Media Service, videos that surfaced on social media show a group of Hindus forcing Muslims to shout ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’. The incident took place at a park in the Udhyog Vihar area of Gurgaon. “You can live in India only if you say Bharat Mata ki Jai”. The mob did not allow the Namaz to continue.

Reports said congregational Namaz was held at six places in the open even as on December 10, during his visit to Gurgaon, Khattar had asserted that offering namaz in the open “will not be tolerated”. The chief minister had said the government has withdrawn the permission given to offer Friday prayers at certain designated sites. Offering public prayers is leading to clashes and that should not happen, he had said.

Earlier, Hindu and Muslim organisations had agreed on 18 new sites for open Friday prayers, including 12 mosques, dargahs, Waqf board properties and six public areas.

“As many as 1,500 to 2,000 people used to offer namaz at the Leisure Valley ground for a long time. This site is a designated site among the six which were approved by the Imam organisation and Sanyukt Hindu Sangharsh Samiti. However, if someone raises objection, we will find other solutions,” member of Gurgaon Imam organisation, Tohreeq Ahmed, was quoted as saying by Indian media.

“We request the Muslim community to leave the spot after offering namaz, park their vehicles near the site and not on the road,” he said. Meanwhile, Amit Arya, Haryana Chief Minister’s media advisor, told the media over phone that it is quite shocking that despite Khattar’s announcement, namaz is being offered in the open. “The district administration should find out an amicable solution to the matter,” he said.

“If Friday namaz is offered in the open anywhere, it is a violation of Haryana Chief Minister’s announcement. However, apart from 12 mosques, dargahs, Waqf board properties, six private locations were allocated for the Friday namaz but the same was withdrawn by the government. We will raise this issue before the state government,” said Rajeev Mittal, spokesperson of Sanyukt Hindu Sangharsh Samiti.

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