Namaz row: Muslim workers in Noida offer Friday prayers at adjacent park, says want no more controversies

Most of the people who offered prayers at the park were employees of different private firms in the area.
For representational purposes (File | EPS)
For representational purposes (File | EPS)

Days after the Noida police sent notice to multinational companies asking them to stop their Muslim employees from offering namaz at public parks, over 600 of them came together to offer namaz at the adjacent Forest View Park in sector 54 today, the first Friday after the controversial move.

No prior permission was taken beforehand by the crowd, the police confirmed.

Most of the people who offered prayers at the park were employees of different private firms in the area, who came out during their lunch breaks and moved towards the park before holding the community prayer.

The employees wish to avoid any further controversies on the matter and decided to move their prayer to the adjacent park, one of organizer was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times.

Noida police on December 25 had asked the companies and offices in the industrial hub to ensure that their employees don't offer namaz in public places including parks.

The police notice further stated that companies will be held responsible if their employees are found offering namaz in parks, according to a report.

Over the past few months, the number of people offering namaz in parks in Noida has increased significantly. Hence, this is an attempt at maintaining communal harmony ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, said police officials while explaining the move.

The notice, which has been sent to all the companies in the Sector 58 area, asks the employees to offer namaz either in the office or mosques.

While the Delhi Minorities Commission (DMC) termed the order “condemnable”, BSP chief Mayawati had called it "discriminatory and irresponsible,"

AIMIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi also hit out at the UP government over the order, saying it was "showering petals on Kanwariyas" (devotees of Lord Shiva) but was issuing notice to Muslim faithful who want to offer prayers in public places.

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