Hyderabad: The number of namaz sites in Gurugram has shrunk from over 100 to 20 in the last three years, according to a report by the Scroll.in. Periodic protests since 2018 by Hindutva groups have shrunk the number of open spaces where Muslims can offer prayers in the city.
Owing to a series of protests by the Hindu right-wing nationalists, the government has urged Muslims to give up a few of the spaces where they used to pray.
The Scroll quoted local residents, who said that three years ago there were over 100 open spaces where Muslims had the district administration’s permission to pray.
The right-wing Hindu nationalists have vowed to keep agitating until there are no more open spaces for Muslims to pray in. A member of the Hindu right, Rajiv Mittal was quoted by the Scroll as saying, “All this was illegal, to begin with.”
He added that what was happening till now was only based on an understanding with the administration. “It is not written in law. Eventually, no Muslim will offer prayers in public in Gurugram.”
All open-air spaces for namaz would be shut down within a month of the meeting which is scheduled for December 4, Hindutva groups claimed. The Hindu right-wing outfits have been continuously protesting on a weekly basis every Friday and disrupting the congregational prayers in open spaces.
Just in October, a number of protests took place in Sector 12A, 47, and several others against the Friday prayers in the city, with protestors claiming that “Rohingya refugees” use the prayers as an excuse to commit crimes in the area.
Sick of the hateful campaign, a Hindu man had offered his space for Muslims to pray their Friday prayers followed by Sikhs offering to give their Gurudwara for the congregational prayers.