The Greater Noida authorities on Wednesday have stopped organising of a Hindu religious event scheduled on its property. Days after the police authorities in Noida sector-58 asked private companies to direct its employees to adhere to district magistrate orders and not offer namaz in public, the police authorities related to Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority have stopped ‘Bhagwat Katha’ event in Greater Noida citing lack of requisite permission.
On Wednesday, the tents placed on the government land of the Authority in Sector-37 were removed. When the tents were being removed, women were carrying out the Kalash Yatra at the place. Women organisers vehemently opposed the authority’s proceedings. Last week On Thursday, organizers hinted towards organizing the event on the open ground without tents. However, on Tuesday evening, tents were erected in Greater Noida Sector-37 for organising ‘Bhagwat Katha’ for nine days without seeking necessary approvals. Music system and mic were also installed on the spot.
The officials of the Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority team removed the tents on Wednesday morning. The women organisers created a ruckus at the location on the removal of the tents. Reportedly, attempts were made to pressurise the officials by citing names of central and state ministers.
The Authority’s Officer on Special Duty Sachin Singh told PTI, “They have not been granted requisite approvals for the programme. If they still carry it out, it would be illegal.” The locals in the area have claimed that two small concrete structures have also come up on the government land where many religious events have held in the past.
More than 50 people were present on the scene opposing the authority’s action. Looking at the opposition, a squad of the authority remained on the spot till late evening. In this regard, the Greater Noida Authority’s CEO Narendra Bhushan asserted that the authority will not allow any ‘unauthorised’ event on their property.
The Greater Noida Police have stated that they have nothing to do with the action initiated by the Authority. Greater Noida (1st) Circle Officer Nishank Sharma said, “The action was carried out by authority officials and the police personnel who are assigned to the authority. No officials of the district police or from local Kasna police station were there.”
Recently, Noida police had issued an advisory notice to the sector-58 companies in Noida ordering them to ask their employees to refrain from gathering in a public park for ‘any religious activities’ including namaz. This sparked reactions from people across the country, All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief, Asaduddin Owaisi expressed his ire at the UP Government after the Noida police announced banning namaz at public places.
