Some members of the Muslim community also alleged that a group offering prayers in Sector 34 had been asked to disperse by police on Friday afternoon. (File)
The issue of offering Friday prayers in the open in Gurgaon resurfaced once again, as several people were stopped from reading namaz at a vacant plot in Phase III. According to representatives of the Muslim community, they had taken the space on rent following clashes with locals over reading namaz in the allotted spots in the area.
“We had been given space near Moulsari Metro station for Friday prayers, but it was being disrupted. We then moved to another park owned by the Haryana Urban Development Authority, but residents there objected as well,” said Wajid Khan, head of the Nehru Yuva Sangathan Welfare Society Charitable Trust.
They finally rented a space in Nathupur village. But this week, they were informed that they could no longer pray at the spot. “The man who rented the space to us said villagers had warned him that he should either stop giving it to us for prayers, or he would have to move from the area. So, he asked us to shift elsewhere,” alleged Khan.
An officer at the DLF Phase III police said they had received a complaint. “We have received a complaint alleging that namaz is being read at spots that have not been allotted for the purpose… The matter will be investigated,” said assistant sub-inspector Naresh Kumar.
Some members of the Muslim community also alleged that a group offering prayers in Sector 34 had been asked to disperse by police on Friday afternoon. The SHO of Sadar police station, however, denied the allegations and said no such directions had been issued, verbally or in writing.
On April 20, six men had disrupted namaz in an open field in Sector 53 with chants of ‘Jai Sri Ram’ and ‘Radhe Radhe’. The men were arrested before being released on bail. In the wake of the incident, several outfits formed the Sanyukt Hindu Sagharsh Samiti and demanded a ban on namaz in the open. They later said that Friday prayers must be allowed only at five open spaces.