Express News Service
CHANDIGARH: Incidents of right-wing outfits blocking the offering of namaz by Muslims in Gurugram do not seem to end. On Friday, a Hindu group interrupted prayers at Sector 37 here as they chanted ‘Jai Shri Ram’ and ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’ and read Hanuman Chalisa. They claimed that they did it to mark the 26/11 terror attacks.
In another incident on the day, Sikh and Nihang men objected to Muslims praying at a local gurdwara situated near grain market here. Earlier, Muslims who had initially gathered at the spot planned to leave without praying.
As soon as the 20-minute namaz ended, a few people from the Hindu organisations took over the space. The members of the Muslim community decided to leave the site peacefully.
While on the other hand the Sikh community and Nihangs (warrior Sikhs) reached at the gurudwara before the Muslims could start their prayers and told the gurdwara committee that namaz in gurdwara is against the ‘Gur Maryada’.
Ravi Ranjan of Gurmat Prachar Jatha Panth Khalsa said, “We are surprised at why the gurdwara committee allowed Muslims to offer namaz in the gurdwara. It is totally against our Gur-Maryada thus they will not allow Muslims to offer prayers in the gurdwara.”
On November 19, last Friday, members of the Muslim community did not offer namaz at the gurdwara owing to the day being Gurpurab despite the gurdwara committee allowing them to do so. Besides they also feared that Hindu outfits will try to disrupt it.
Meanwhile, the gurdwara committee said space would not be offered because Muslims have not sought space for namaz from them but underlined the resolve to stand with the minority community. For last few months right-wing Hindu organisations and members of resident welfare associations (RWAs) have objected to the offering of namaz in open spaces in Gurugram.
Meanwhile, members of the Muslim community also sought action against those disturbing their prayers. “Why Bhajans, Kirtan and Hawan are held when we hold namaz every Friday? They take the law in their own hands,” said a member of the Muslim community.
