Ggm's Namaz row: CM says Friday prayers in open can't be tolerated

Gurugram: Even as Hindu outfits continued to disrupt public Namaz in Gurugram this Friday amid the heated row over whether public spaces will be available for local Muslims to pray in, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said, "Offering of Namaz in public cannot be tolerated. There are private properties and places of worship for practicing one's faith. The Gurugram District Administration is trying to resolve the differences and improve the situation."

Significantly, the Gurugram administration has in the last few months rapidly de-listed spots designated for public Namaz. While the total number of such spots was 37 when the row began, they have now been reduced to 18. Now, the Haryana administration has withdrawn permission for public prayers at all previously designated spots, with the CM saying fresh areas will be decided upon after deliberations.

Adamant to not let Namaz be offered, Hindu outfits again blocked the Namaz site at Sector-37 with trucks and heavy vehicles and used the rest of the space to hold a prayer meeting to honour the sacrifice of the victims of the Conoor chopper crash that killed CDS General Bipin Rawat, his wife, and 12 others.

But what was meant to be a somber moment soon turned hostile as some of the members of the Hindu right-wing groups began to chant slogans like Bharat Mata ki and Jai Shree Ram with anti-Muslim slurs and slogans thrown in between. Chants of "Na mullon ka, na qazi ka, yeh desh veer Shivaji ka" were raised. These slogans were later discouraged by a large number of people assembled at the site.

But already facing intimidation from the Hindu outfits, Muslim organisations who had so far been trying to peacefully offer prayers amid the tension have now been forced to take a step back — asking local Muslims to refrain from praying in any of the sites where disruptions were being caused.

A handful of Muslim devotees who did come to Sector-37, however, were not allowed to pray there. Anguished, one Muslim devotee shouted out loud that he should be shot dead if he cannot even offer Namaz in his own country. Meanwhile, disruptions were caused at prayers being held at the Sector-44 site.

"Gurugram Muslim Council has decided not to offer Juma Namaz at Sector-37 since there were Bhajans planned at the site with an objective to provoke Muslim devotees. After unprovoked aggression last Friday, Muslim devotees should stay away from Sector-37 until the situation diffuses," said Altaf Ahmad of Gurugram Nagrik Ekta Manch.

Contrary to what was experienced at Sector-37 and Sector-44, at Sector 29, public space was offered for prayers by Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs, who later paid their tributes to the victims of the chopper crash together.

While the Hindu groups were headed by Sanyukta Sangharsh Hindu Samiti (SHSS, the Muslim groups were headed by Muslim Rashtriya Manch and Imam Sangathan. Significantly, the Muslim Ekta Manch, the organisation that was initially part of the dialogue with authorities — has said that the Muslim Rashtriya Manch is not working in the interest of local Muslims.

This came after the Muslim Rashtriya Manch accepted the settlement of 18 spaces for Namaz — a compromise yet to be accepted by the Muslim Ekta Manch.