KOZHIKODE: Muslim organisations have urged the government to ease Covid restrictions to allow more believers to pray in mosques.
Currently, only 15 persons are allowed to pray in mosques. In a press release issued here on Monday, Kerala Nadvathul Mujahideen (KNM) state president T P Abdulla Koya Madani and general secretary M Muhammad Madani said believers should be allowed inside places of worship after ensuring all precautions. The leaders said limiting 15 persons for prayers cannot be justified. The numbers should be increased according to the size of mosques.
Keeping people away from places of worship when restrictions are being eased in every other sector may raise suspicions, they said. Police have registered cases against custodians to some mosques that were opened after following all the protocol stipulations. KNM leaders asked the CM to end police aggression on believers. Jama’at-e-Islami Kerala amir M I Abdul Azeez also asked the government to increase the allowed number of believers in view of relaxing of restrictions in other fields.
In a press release, he said the scientific method would be to limit the number of persons as per the size of the mosque. “Limiting the number to 15 for all places of worship irrespective of their size is irrational,” he said.Kanthapuram A P Aboobacker Musaliar said the government should allow the requisite number of believers for the Friday prayers and for Eid ul-Adha prayers at places where Covid is under control.