The Hyderabad High Court on Thursday directed the police and Chittoor district administration to provide protection to Muslim women who are offering prayers in the mosque at Guramkonda.
The Bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Ramesh Ranganathan and Justice Shameem Akther was passing these orders in a writ petition filed by M. Saheera. She complained that several women from Ahle Hadees sect are being prevented from offering prayers in their mosques in Chittoor, Kadapa and Pakasham districts. Specific case of Gurramkonda, where the sarpanch is a Muslim, was pleaded by the petitioner.
She alleged that Imtiyaz Ahmed, Information Commissioner, and his brother Naushad Ahmed, who is a sarpanch, are influencing the administration. She said that at the behest of sarpanch the administration is preventing their prayers at Abu Bakar mosque. The administration informed the court that this is a residential house and without permission from the officers, this cannot be used to offer prayers.
The Bench wanted to know under what law the women can be prevented from praying in the house. The administration was directed to take steps to see that these women are protected and made it clear that the administration has to proceed against the sarpanch as per law if the prayers are obstructed. The sarpanch gave an undertaking to the court that he will not interfere in this issue. This was recorded by the court.
The Bench did not appreciate the stand of the gram panchyat which tried to tell the court that the building is illegal. All the respondents were directed to file counter affidavits and the officers have to see that no one obstructs the prayers of the Muslim women.
