Namaz should not be read in public spaces, says Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar

Amid the rising incidents of right-wing groups disrupting people from reading Namaz in public places in Gurugram, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Sunday advised Muslims to offer their prayers at mosques or Idgahs rather and not in public places.

“In our point of view, namaz should be offered at their designated places. Namaz should be offered at mosque and Eidgah. If there is shortage of place for namaz, then it should be offered at personal place. These are not such issues which should be displayed at public places),” Khattar said while speaking to journalists in Chandigarh.

While claiming that there had been an increase in the “issues” of namaz prayers being offered in public places, Khattar said, “”it (reading namaz in public places) was alright until someone raises objection. If people are raising objection then it becomes state’s duty to maintain low and order.”

“We are counseling all that namaz should be offered at appropriate places not at public places,” he added.

On April 20, police arrested six people for disrupting Friday prayers being offered at a vacant plot in Gurugram while chanting “Jai Sri Ram” and “Radhe Radhe”.

Following the arrests, several right-wing outfits under the Sanyukt Hindu Sangharsh Samiti have called for a ban on namaz in open public places.

On Friday, some right-wing groups tried to disrupt the weekly prayers at several places in Grurugram. Following to incident, district officials asked Waqf Board to identify places where Friday prayers can be offered.