Gurugram: Clerics contradict Muslim panel on namaz sites

GURUGRAM: Contradicting the stand of a Muslim delegation that had sought continuation of Friday prayers at 37 designated sites, a group of clerics on Tuesday afternoon met deputy commissioner Yash Garg saying namaz would only be organised at 20 places that had been agreed upon at a meeting between community representatives and government officials.
Members of the ‘Gurugram Imam Sangathan’ submitted a memorandum to the DC, just as the Gurugram Muslim Council, led by former MP Mohd Adeeb, had done on Monday. They said the group was created ‘to rise above petty politics’, manage Friday prayers, communicate with the government and others and ensure that ‘outsiders cannot interfere’ in the matter.
Referring to the meeting held with Hindu outfits at Garg’s office on November 3, the memorandum stated that in accordance with the decision taken there, prayers were conducted on November 5 only at the 20 spots “peacefully and quietly and with everyone’s agreement”.
“But, it has been seen that some people claiming to be sympathisers of the Muslim community are doing petty politics by giving unnecessary statements before the media and the administration. They want to defame the government by damaging the image of Gurugram and weakening Hindu-Muslim unity,” the memorandum said.
Assuring the deputy commissioner of cooperation on the issue of Friday prayers, the imams said they are all of ‘nationalist ideology’, ‘follow the rule of the law’ and read namaz with the ‘agreement’ of residents and the administration.
“On behalf of the Muslim community, we assure you that in future, there will be no unnecessary debate because of reading of namaz. If any issue occurs because of any of our imams, then that imam will be removed from the organisation and a stop will be put to his leading the prayers,” stated the memorandum.
Maulana Muhammad Arshad Miftahi, joint secretary of the organisation, said, “We read the namaz, we are the imams, we have the people’s support, but people who neither lead the namaz nor have anything to do with it are complicating the issue. This is why we have created the Gurugram Imam Sangathan, under which we will read namaz peacefully in 20 places. We want to make our stand clear instead of relying on anyone else because other people are politicising the matter.”
Khurshid Rajaka, Muslim Rashtriya Manch chairman who accompanied the delegation of imams, said the subject of Friday prayers “is of the people and the imams”.
“No party or outsiders should indulge in politics over this or interfere. Before becoming a representative of Hindus or Muslims, we should become representatives of Gurugram and work for peace and unity in the city,” added Rajaka.
Over the past few weeks, Friday prayers in public places have met with stiff opposition in some parts of the city, with local outfits protesting and submitting memorandums calling for a ban. Last week, the district administration and police withdrew permission to offer namaz at eight of the 37 designated sites approved in 2018.