While residents in Gurugram are protesting against Muslims occupying public places every week for namaz prayers, Guardian has claimed that those public places are Muslim sites, and the Muslims in India have no place for praying now.
In an article titled ‘New city, old schism: Hindu groups target Gurgaon’s Muslim prayer sites’, the report by Hannah Ellis-Petersen claimed that just because Muslims are using open grounds like car parks for weekly prayers, they are ‘Muslim sites’ now, and they now have right over those places. It also equated Gurugram public space to fictional religious battlefields.
As per the report, the author has stated that since a car park in Gurugram was used as a temporary prayer site for decades by the Muslims, the car park can be conveniently termed as a prayer site.
Nowhere left to pray: Hindu groups target Muslim sites in Gurgaon https://t.co/nxiabVofib
— The Guardian (@guardian) December 4, 2021
The author tried to paint the residents of Gurugram and Hindu activists as villains for protesting against illegal occupation of public places every week, and the Muslims became the victims in the article. The author claims that “for the Muslim community, praying in the few public sites they have left has become a statement about their rights in society,” implying that Muslims can offer prayers in open grounds only. The article claims that since there are not adequate mosques in the area for all Muslims to offer Friday namaz, they are forced to use public places, and now they are being prevented from doing so.
In the last few weeks, several left-liberals have been making this argument, saying that Muslims have to use public ground because there are not enough mosques for all of them. But the fact is that, not a single religion has religious places that fit all the adherents of that religion at the same time. No place have enough temples, churches or gurudwaras where all Hindus, Christians or Sikhs can pray at the same time.
It is being assumed by Guardian and other left-liberals and Islamists that Muslims have to pray in the open only. But many people argue that if they don’t have enough mosques, they can pray at their homes or workplaces, as blocking roads and other public places cause huge inconvenience to general public.
Netizens slammed Guardian for naming public spaces in Gurugram as prayer sites :
Netizens slammed Guardian for labelling public places Muslim sites, and questioned their intention behind the article.
Seriously?Muslim sites? They are calling public properties ‘muslim sites’….
— Sumit Agrawal (@2704sumit) December 5, 2021
This is the exact reason why we must stand against such takeover of public properties. #GurugramNamaz https://t.co/KXoUC26z0h
Sumit Agrawal said, “Seriously? Muslim sites? They are calling public properties ‘muslim sites’…. This is the exact reason why we must stand against such takeover of public properties.”
This is such a garbage piece on so many levels. Public property is not a Muslim site. It is not the state’s responsibility to build a place of worship. Hindu groups are not laying claim on these sites for themselves. But this is the Guardian of bigotry & fake news. https://t.co/exnViSGAIV
— Ram (@ramprasad_c) December 5, 2021
Entrepreneur Ram said, “This is such a garbage piece on so many levels. Public property is not a Muslim site. It is not the state’s responsibility to build a place of worship. Hindu groups are not laying claim on these sites for themselves. But this is the Guardian of bigotry & fake news.”
The @guardian brings forth a most important caveat for non-Muslims. Stand firm against the slightest encroachment by Muslims or even the most public of your places like roads & parks will soon become “Muslim sites”. https://t.co/4YDaF8wBQV
— Tapashish Chakraborty (@TapashishC) December 5, 2021
Tapashish Chakraborty notes, “The @guardian brings forth a most important caveat for non-Muslims. Stand firm against the slightest encroachment by Muslims or even the most public of your places like roads & parks will soon become “Muslim sites”.
Such a misleading and trash article. What makes you think that pubic property belongs to any specific religion? Based people who dragged them out. https://t.co/jWnR1aMvrJ
— Vinnie Tiwari (@TiwariVinnie) December 5, 2021
Vinnie Tiwari said, “Such a misleading and trash article. What makes you think that pubic property belongs to any specific religion? Based people who dragged them out.
Similarly, many Twitters reminded Guardian that people are protesting against blocking of public spaces, and they are not Muslim sites.
They’re not targeting “Muslim sites”, they’re protesting at Muslims doing namaaz on PUBLIC roads and open public places. Muslims can still pray in mosques & their homes. Even in Islamic counties they don’t pray on roads or railway tracks
— Kanuv (@AKanuv108) December 4, 2021
Before peddling your narrative,for the sake of journalistic integrity,at least investigate the root cause.
— 🇮🇳Mohini🇮🇳 (@mohini23451) December 5, 2021
1.These are not muslim sites but public places like roads, parks etc
2.There are ample mosques in the area for Muslims
3.Would you want such namaz on streets of UK as well?
They are NOT Muslim sites. They are common open spaces.
— Aparna Gandotra🇮🇳 (@dev_aparna) December 5, 2021
And as u can see if u wanted to, they have mosques to go to also their homes. pic.twitter.com/ykqndTkKfa
