Protest increased for offering Namaz in the open

Gurugram. About 30 people have been detained by Gurugram Police for disrupting Friday prayers being offered by the Muslim community in Sector-12 of Gurugram in Haryana.

The protesters, mostly members of Hinduist organizations, were present on the spot amid the presence of a heavy police force. They raised slogans of ‘Jai Shri Ram’ and ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’. At the same time, people of the Muslim community kept coming to that place to offer Namaz.
There was also a clash between the police and the protesters who were opposing Namaz. Later, the police took 30 people into custody and took them to the police station by filling them in a bus.
The protesters held placards and raised slogans against the administration for allowing open prayers at designated places in the city. However, despite the tense atmosphere, there was peace there. About 30 protesters have been detained as a precautionary measure, the police officer said.

Talking to reporters, Ankita Chaudhary, Sub Divisional Magistrate, Gurugram said, “People are offering Namaz at this place for the last two years. There are some people from the other group who are trying to stop them. That’s why we asked them not to create an atmosphere of panic and law and order problem. When they did not agree, the administration and police took them into custody to maintain law and order.

Ankita Chaudhary said that people have been taken into preventive custody only. When asked who are the detained people, he said that investigation is being done in this regard.
Earlier, police force was deployed on the spot due to threats from Hinduist organizations threatening to disrupt Namaz in the open. Significantly, after protests by Hinduist organizations three years ago, the district administration had identified 37 places in the city where Muslims were allowed to offer Friday prayers.