Manohar Lal Khattar has knelt before the Islamists

If the people of Haryana elected a BJP government believing that it will curb the politics of compromise, they have been certainly proven wrong. The Manohar Lal Khattar government is tolerating appeasement politics and at the same time defending it. The city of Gurugram has been witnessing a major debate over the issue of offering Namaz in a public place. The residents and some Hindu activists have been protesting against offering Namaz in public but, the Gurugram police have refused to take any action. Only on Friday, HT reported that 500 cops guarded namaz spots in Gurugram and some Hindu activists protesting against offering namaz in public were arrested. 

Hindu activists arrested

Leena Dhankar, an HT journalist tweeted, “Rightwing Hindu groups reached Sector 12 to disrupt prayers being offered in the open. Police detained them and took them to nearest police station to ensure peaceful prayers.” She also reported, “Women detained after they started shouting religious slogans to disrupt namaz in Sector 12.” 

500 cops deployed to guard namaz spots

As per an HT report, 500 cops will be deployed at five spots where namaz is offered in the city given threats from right-wing Hindu groups to disrupt public order if namaz is offered in open. 

KK Rao, the commissioner of Gururgam police, said that following clear instructions in the matter from Haryana Chief Minister, the police will ensure that there are no disruptions in the present arrangements. Rao said, “All the police teams have been directed to take strict action against those who try to harass anyone offering namaz.” 

Aman Yadav, the Assistant Commissioner of Police (Sadar), disclosed that 500 police personnel have been deployed at five spots and those trying to disrupt prayers will be arrested. Yadav said, “We will not allow anyone to disrupt the Friday prayers and we will not let people to take the law into their hands.” 

Members of Muslim groups have asked for police protection at five designated prayer sites, namely DLF Phase-3, Sector 12A, Sector 14, Sector 56 and Sector 47. In 2018, the district administration had designated 37 sites in the city for offering Friday prayers. 

On the other hand, Arya Kendriya Sabha, a central organisation of Arya Samaj branches, submitted a memorandum on Thursday demanding a total ban on namaz in the open. Laxman Pahuja, a member of the said organisation, said, “We demand a complete ban on namaz in the open to maintain peace and harmony in the city.” 

Mehmood Khan, a businessman who runs a furniture shop in Sector 12, alleged, “A group of Muslims has been offering namaz in front of my furniture shop for the past few months. I had requested maulvi in the past not to conduct Friday prayers here, but they ignored my request stating that they were not offering prayer on private land but on government land.” A complaint in this matter was made at the Sector 14 police station. However, as per HT, no case was registered till Thursday evening. 

Protesting locals allege inconvenience

Earlier this month, Sunil Yadav, president of the residents’ welfare association of Sector 47, said, “Every week, hundreds of people gather in this area to offer namaz on government land. Due to this, the vehicular movement gets affected as the plot is next to a private school, and the namaz timings clash with the time when school ends and our children return home. They (Muslims) should offer prayers at mosques or in their religious institutions. We had raised the matter with the district administration earlier also and have submitted a letter on Friday as well. The administration assured us that they will look into the matter and find a solution.”

However, the Manohar Lal Khattar is not acting to find a solution for the residents, rather activists raising important questions have been arrested. The BJP came to power in Haryana with its ideological promise against appeasement politics. Now, if it wants to stay in power, it must act to replace Khattar and bring the party in line with its ideological promise. At the end of the day, the BJP government in Haryana is ending up upsetting its core voter base itself.