Offering Namaz is our right: resentment prevails among minorities over Khattar’s remark

Gurugram: Resentment prevails among minorities over the remark made by Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar. He commented on Sunday that it was “not right to pray in open spaces.” Khattar is said to be an ex- RSS pracharak.

President Nehru Yuva Organisation Shahzad declared chief minister’s remark as unfortunate. He said we have not encroached upon any land till date. Chief Minister has given a remark to appease the followers of a particular religion. We have right to offer namaz on government open land until we do not get a place for masjid. He said chief minister’s remark will embolden the Hindu extremist outfits.

It must be recalled that rightwing groups disrupted the Friday namaz that was being offered in Sector 53 of Gurugram. While scaring off the people offering namaz, the activists raised “Jai Shree Ram” slogans and shouted, “Masjid kis liye banaya hai.” The video of the disruption went viral. Six men were arrested in this regard.

Commenting upon the controversy CM Khattar said, “There has been an increase in offering namaz in the open. Namaz should be read in mosques or idgahs, rather than in public spaces.” He also added that the government was all eyes on the situation, and suggested that if there was a shortage of places, people should offer namaz at home.

According to sources Muslims have been offering namaz on the vacant patch of land for a long time. No one has objected to it or disrupted them. There is not even a temple or any other place of worship nearby.