The issue of namaz in public places has returned again after several months. On 23rd December 2022, a group of Muslims in Gurugram sparked controversy as they started offering namaz in public places. Muslim people who had gone for Friday prayers at the ground in Sector 69 were retaliated against and forced away by Bajrang Dal activists. Tension prevailed in the locality even after the incident.
The incident took place in sector 69 where a group of Muslims had gathered to offer namaz. However, soon some Bajrang Dal activists reached the spot, and then protested against offering namaz in the open spaces. They then asked the Muslims not to offer namaz in public places. As the Muslims did not listen to this, the Bajrang Dal activists chased away the Muslims and did not allow them to hold Friday prayers on the ground.
Bajrang Dal activists said, “In all, six prayers held in open public places were stopped. Namaz in the open should be banned. All public places are being occupied in this way. Namaz in public places means that the land will be occupied in the coming few years. Activists have objected as to why people from other communities do not go to their mosques and offer namaz.” The Bajrang Dal activist said that namaz should not be allowed in the open.
The police force has been deployed at the spot after the incident was reported. The police controlled people from both sides. Law and order situation has been restored on the spot. Additional police forces are being deployed to prevent disputes and violence from erupting.
Namaz in open is not a new thing for the people residing in Gurugram. Haryana’s chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar has taken a resilient stand in the past against namaz in open. Khattar had said, “If someone offers Namaz at his place we have no problem in that. Such programs should not be held in the open. This practice of offering Namaz which has been done in the open will not be tolerated at all.”
It is notable that the incidents of namaz in public places were reduced after the CM took its cognizance. Now, the issue has arisen again as the Muslims in gurugram offered namaz in sector 69.
