After locals protest, Gurugram administration bans namaz at eight sites

The Gurugram administration on Tuesday withdrew permission to offer namaz at eight designated sites in the area after locals and resident welfare associations raised objections, ANI reported.

The eight are among the 37 designated sites in the area where the administration earlier had allowed namaz prayers to be offered.

The sites are Bengali Basti in Sector 49, V Block of DLF Phase-3, Surat Nagar Phase-1, outskirts of Kherki Majra village, outskirts of Daulatabad village near Dwarka Expressway, near Ramgarh village in Sector 68, near DLF Square Tower and from Rampur village to Nakhrola Road.

An official statement issued by the district administration said that the permission was withdrawn after locals and RWA raised objections to the offering of namaz in the said localities.

“Consent from the administration is necessary for namaz in any public and open place,” ANI quoted the order as saying.

Stating that namaz can be offered at any mosque, Eidgah or at a private place, the circular said that permission will not be given for the same if locals raise objections to it.

The circular said that Guragaon Deputy Commissioner Yash Garg has also formed a committee comprising a sub-divisional magistrate, an assistant commissioner of police, representatives of religious organisations and civil society groups to discuss the issue and identify alternate places for the offering namaz in the future.

The committee will discuss the issue with locals and ensure that they are not inconvenienced as well as see that namaz is not offered on the road, crossing or at public places.

The administration will also take locals into confidence while finalizing the spots for namaz.

The district administration has also urged the general public and other religious communities to maintain law and order.

The administration’s decision to withdraw permission for namaz comes in the wake of protests by locals against Friday prayers by the Muslim community at a public ground in Sector-47 of Gurugram.

“Locals staged a protest against offering Friday namaz at a ground in Sector-47, Gurugram for the fourth consecutive week by performing puja. Efforts are ongoing for a solution, including finding an alternate place for namaz,” Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Aman Yadav has said earlier.

He said two rounds of discussions have already been held under the chairmanship of Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Badshahpur. “We are making efforts to find a solution and resolve the issue amicably.”

“The residents have shown us the list which was issued three years ago. We have to verify the list from our end also. If the ground had been given to Muslim community for a single day, then the administration will take necessary action,” he said.