Namaz offering at the plot in Sector 53 on Friday. (Express photo by Manoj Kumar)
For the last 10 years, a vacant plot in Gurgaon’s Sector 53 has been the venue of Friday prayers each week, with hundreds congregating in the afternoon to read the namaz, led by Imam Hafiz Khalid who uses a portable mic and speaker.
A handful of trees are the only vegetation on the dusty patch, and a tanker is parked nearby to supply water so people can wash themselves.
“Usually, people read the namaz at home, but the Friday prayer requires the presence of an Imam. A lot of people gather at various open spaces, including parks and empty plots,” said Wajid Khan, who heads the Nehru Yuva Sangathan Welfare Society Charitable Trust. “We discovered this plot 10 years ago, with no houses or shops nearby. We realised we could read the namaz here without disturbing anyone, so we discussed it with the administration,” he added.
On April 20, however, the namaz was disrupted by a group of men chanting slogans such as “Jai Sri Ram” and “Radhe Radhe”. While six people have been arrested, the reduced number of people at the namaz this week gave away the apprehension and fear in the wake of the incident. “We usually have over 500 people, but it was half of that this week,” said Khalid.
On April 20, however, the namaz was disrupted by a group of men chanting slogans such as “Jai Sri Ram” and “Radhe Radhe”. (Express photo by Manoj Kumar)
Sabir Qasmi, who runs a local Urdu newspaper, added, “They (people who disrupted the namaz) were much fewer in number, but there was no point getting into a confrontation. That would only ruin the atmosphere, so people who had come to pray just left.”
Muhammad Moin Qureshi, who owns a meat shop, said, “People who come here are mostly migrants from states such as Bihar and Bengal, employed in the informal sector. They are easily intimidated when locals do such things.”
Some claimed that two weeks before the April 20 incident, a handful of men had confronted the crowd after namaz, and threatened them with dire consequences if they continued.
On Friday, about 15 minutes after the namaz, around 30 representatives of groups, including the Bajrang Dal, Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Hindu Kranti Dal, and Shiv Sena, arrived at the scene, again chanting “Jai Sri Ram”.
“We want people who have been arrested to be released, and cases against them to be taken back,” said Abhishek Gaur, district president of the Bajrang Dal.
They also demanded that the administration allot specific places where people can read namaz. “We do not approve of this practice of taking over any space and congregating there illegally. We will not allow people to read the namaz here in the future,” said Gaur.
Responding to last week’s incident, Haryana BJP spokesperson Raman Malik said, “The administration must ensure that any religious activity performed in a public place or on government land must be done after legal approval from the local administration.”