Namaz case: right-wing groups take out protest

Several right-wing organisations on Monday took out a protest march in Gurugram seeking withdrawal of a case against six persons arrested for allegedly disrupting namaz at an open ground in Sector 53 here over a week ago.

They submitted a memorandum to Haryana Deputy Commissioner Vinay Pratap Singh in this regard. The protesters also demanded that offering namaz should not be allowed without prior permission.

Under the banner of Sanyukt Hindu Sangharsh Samiti, the members of various right-wing organisations, including the Shiv Sena, Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad, assembled at Kamla Nehru park and took out a march till the mini-Secretariat. The protesters also raised slogans outside the office of the Commissioner of Police.

‘Pray with permission’

Mahavir Bhardwaj, who led the protest, told the gathering that it was wrong to take refuge of religion to encroach upon land. He demanded that the government ban offering of namaz without prior permission. He also emphasised the need to identify the “Bangladeshis and Rohingyas among the Muslims”.

The protesters claimed that Mr. Singh had assured departmental action on the memorandum.

Six persons were arrested by the police last week for allegedly disrupting offering of namaz. Following the arrest, right-wing outfits had held a protest at the ground on Friday. The accused have been granted bail.