Gurugram: Days after the district administration of Gurugram canceled permission to offer namaz at 8 designated places, a Hindu businessman and a local association of Gurudwaras has opened their doors allowing Muslims to hold their namaz indoors. The man named Akshay Rao has offered the roof of his house for Friday prayers and said more than 25 people can offer prayers at his place. Speaking to the media, Rao said, “I offered the land to the Muslim community as it was facing problems post objections raised by right-wing outfits. The right-wing outfits have raised objection to Muslims offering namaz in open spaces, post which 50 percent of such prayers could not be held.”
He added, “Such an initiative can help to maintain harmony in the society. I will also provide the roof of my property, where every Friday, some people can comfortably offer prayers. It is the responsibility of each citizen of India to maintain the law and order situation. It was my little step towards helping people. I welcome Muslim people to offer namaz at my place.”
Welcoming Rao’s initiative, Muslim Ekta Manch chairman Haji Shehzad Khan, said: “It’s a good initiative that a Hindu brother nearby gave his place to offer Friday prayers. There is a dispute regarding open Namaz in sector 12 of Gurugram. We are peace-loving people and do not want to disturb law and order.”
Meanwhile, the Gurdwara Singh Sabha Committee of Gurugram, which has five gurdwaras affiliated to it — at Sadar Bazar sabzi mandi, Sector 39 (near Medanta), Sector 46, Jacobpura, and Model Town — has offered its space for Muslims to offer namaz in small groups. Speaking to news agency ANI, President of Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha Sherdil Singh Sidhu said, “It’s Guru Ghar, open for all communities with no discrimination. There shouldn’t be any politics here. The basement is now open for Muslim brothers who want to offer ‘Jumme ki namaz’.”
Meanwhile, Muslim representatives have demanded that the district administration should open the 19 mosques under the Waqf Board, which are currently unused, for offering namaz. The Gurugram district administration has cancelled permission to offer Namaz at 8 designated places after local people and various Resident Welfare Associations (RWA) raised objections about it. These locations include Bengali Basti Sector-49, V-Block DLF-III, Surat Nagar Phase-1, Outside Khedi Majra village, on Dwarka Expressway near Daulatabad village, Sector-68 near village Ramgarh, Near DLF Square Tower and village Rampur to Nakhdola Road.
Apart from this, a committee has also been constituted by the Deputy Commissioner Gurugram to identify the places to offer Namaz, in which Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM), Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), members of Hindu/Muslim organization and other social organizations have been included.